


Purpose

by beux



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, BillDip, Difficult Decisions, F/F, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Love, First Time, Friends to Lovers, Human Bill Cipher, M/M, New Years issues, Older Pines Twins, Some Humor, feels overload, first everything basically lmao, heavy angst at last chapter, i hate this ship, i swear im trying, learning to love, overwhelming emotions, so many tags im so sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-03
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-05-11 11:00:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 33,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5624560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beux/pseuds/beux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"That's impossible," Bill said, completely forlorn. </p><p>Maybe he was having another nightmare, maybe he was hallucinating; but even if he wasn't, he didn't want to believe it. He couldn't. His grip tightened on the small, wrapped box he was holding behind his back, and tears stung from the corner of his eyes, threatening to fall at any given moment. </p><p>Mabel saw the happiness and excitement vanish from Bill's eyes. She noticed his shoulders drop, revealing the gift that he was trying so hard to hide from her. Sighing deeply, she looked at him with the most apologetic look she could manage, knowing how Dipper had really meant a lot to him.</p><p>"He promised me..."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Unexpected Welcome

“10!”

Dipper smiled widely as he counted down to the upcoming New Year with his best friends: Mabel, Soos, Wendy, and the new addition to the group, Bill. Sure, the two may have had conflicts when Dipper was younger, but they decided to put their rivalry behind them and start again; as good friends. They were all waiting for the fireworks display excitedly at the roof of the Mystery Shack, where the view of the sky was wide and clear.

“9!”

Mabel took the opportunity to hug her older twin and get all sappy. “I can’t believe another year passed by so quickly! I can’t wait to make more memories with you, bro-bro!”  
Dipper, careful not to spill the drink he was holding, hugged her back and couldn’t resist getting mushy, either.

“8!”

“I’m just happy that even as we grow older every time, we never really drift away from each other, you know?” he replied, pulling away and scratching the back of his neck with his free hand awkwardly. Mabel giggled and gave him a playful punch on his arm.

“7!”

Dipper almost lost his balance and nearly spilled his drink in the process. He shot his sister a look, but it was a fond one. His lips curled into a smirk, and tried punching her back harder, but failed. Mabel laughed at his wimpiness, catching their friends’ attention.

“Aww, look at the two being all affectionate,” Wendy pointed out, adoring how the twins still care so much about each other after all these years. Soos nodded, and Bill just shrugged. It wasn’t new to him how the two acted, but the fact that they never get tired of worrying about each other fascinated him.

“6!”

Bill hasn’t really grasped the full concept of love, and why humans either have so much or so little of it. He was a dream demon, and as powerful and all-knowing as he is, he just doesn’t understand. He watched as the siblings separated and Dipper excused himself to go get some more pop.

“5!”

Bill kept his eyes on Dipper, focused on the lad’s actions. He always seemed to be intrigued with whatever his little Pine Tree did, no matter how ridiculous it got. Right now, he was more amused because Dipper seemed to space out and managed to pour too much soda in his cup, flooding the table, and spilling some of the liquid on himself. Bill snickered and made his way over to him to help clean the mess up.

“4!”

“Hey!” Bill shouted as he finally reached the table, patting the brunet’s back a little too harshly. Dipper, for the second time in a row, staggered a bit, but kept his balance anyway. He didn’t respond, and just kept making a mess on the table. This made the demon scratch his head and wonder if the human in front of him was malfunctioning or something.

“3!”

Dipper stopped when he noticed that the bottle was already half empty. He put it down gently and slowly brought his hand up to his chest, gripping his shirt tightly. Bill noticed him breathing heavily and with difficulty. With every passing moment, Dipper was becoming more and more pale, and Bill decided to speak up.  
“Pine Tree? What’s wrong?” he asked, confused.

“2!”

“It… hurts…” Dipper managed to whisper, feeling his chest grow tighter and tighter, the pain becoming more and more unbearable, until his body finally failed him. He felt himself grow heavy, and he screamed in pain before his head hit the table and knocked everything on it to the floor. Bill, in a state of panic and distress, caught him in his arms before he fell to the ground.

“1- oh my God Dipper!”

Fireworks finally exploded in the distance, the colourful streaks of light illuminating the dark night sky. It was a shame; it was such a marvelous sight, and Dipper had been waiting for a year to celebrate with all of his old best friends. Bill stared at the seemingly lifeless boy in front of him, and felt his heart ache at the sight. He saw that the boy’s head was bleeding, which caused him to worry even more.

“Bill! Thank God you caught him!” Mabel wailed, taking her brother from Bill’s arms. Soos arrived with an emergency kit and started to examine Dipper’s head. Wendy took a look as well, and Mabel was grateful when Soos said it was nothing serious and that he could treat the wound. Wendy offered to carry Dipper inside, and Mabel agreed. As they were all heading back, Bill was determined to find out what was wrong, not caring about the noise raging on outside.

“Hey, Shooting Star?” Bill said softly, not wanting to stress out the already sobbing girl any more. He tapped her shoulder lightly and she turned to face him, sniffling. “What happened to Pine Tree? Is he going to be okay?”

The two stopped walking when they reached the living room, and let Wendy and Soos go ahead to Dipper’s room to take care of him. Mabel tried her hardest to smile and tell him that he’s going to be fine, but all that came out were choked sobs and muffled words. Bill sighed and pulled her in for a hug, rubbing her back soothingly.

“Come on, let’s sit down.”

Bill led Mabel to the couch and comforted her. He made her look at him, and he wiped her tears away.

“I’m sure Dipper will be okay. He’s a strong guy, you know?” he assured her. The brunette pulled away and hesitated for a moment, and whispered something Bill couldn’t understand.

“If only you knew.”

The demon just respired, ignoring what Mabel had just said, and embraced her once more, trying his best to get the heavy feeling off their chests.

 -----

2 hours later, after Dipper was finally treated, everyone said their greetings and goodbyes; all except for Bill.

“Don’t you have to be somewhere?” Mabel questioned, completely exhausted from crying. The weary blonde cocked an eyebrow at her, and she just shrugged. “Not to be rude or anything, sorry.”

“Forget about it. Do you mind if I sleep with Dipper tonight? I don’t want him to fall from his bed or something.”

 

Mabel snorted loudly.

 

“ _Sure you can_ ,” she replied, her words laced with enough sarcasm to make the demon curious. Moments pass, and Bill made a face at her. Mabel smirked, knowing that he just read her mind, and was most definitely not amused with what she was thinking.

 

“I assure you, I do _not_ ‘have the hots’ for your brother,” Bill quoted.

 

“Whatever,” Mabel said while yawning, dismissing him. “Good morning, and happy new year.”

“Morning,” Bill grumbled. He slowly walked over to Dipper’s room and opened the door quietly. It creaked the slightest bit, and Bill made a mental note to punch himself in the gut when he wakes the sleeping boy up. Thankfully, he didn’t, and he stealthily made his way to the bed. He saw the poor brunet’s bandaged head and pale, steady figure, and Bill wasn’t sure about what he was feeling.

What the hell was this emotion? He felt his heart constrict at the view in front of him, and he felt tears sting at the corner of his eyes. Seeing how Dipper had difficulty breathing, he couldn’t help but feel bad for him.

He wanted to take care of him. Luckily, Dipper’s bed was big enough to accumulate the two of them, and so Bill, ever so carefully, sat and lied down gingerly next to him, keen with his actions so he doesn’t cause too much noise and disturb the lad’s slumber. The brunet let out a light snore, and Bill chuckled, admiring the sleeping boy.

“I never cared this much before,” Bill whispered gently into the boy’s ear. He was completely aware that Dipper was asleep and most likely wouldn’t hear him, but he hoped that he will, anyway.

“What a way to welcome the New Year, huh?” he continued, yawning. “I didn’t expect that you’d go ahead and leave us all hanging like that, though.”

He was slightly taken aback when the lad moved his head a little and turned to his side, facing him. Dipper stretched his arms and was able to hold on to the blonde’s coat, trying his hardest to snuggle closer to him. Bill smiled fondly and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close and carefully stroking his bandaged head.

“You like being held, huh? How cute.”

Dipper exhaled sharply, as if he wanted to reply. Bill shook his head at the human, and decided to focus on what they were currently doing.

Cuddling, was it? He wasn’t entirely sure of the term, but he once overheard Pine Tree mention that he wanted to ‘cuddle’ with someone. Bill smiled at the thought of how Dipper was such a descriptive speaker, relishing the memory of him saying something like, _pulling her close to me and feeling her warmth as we lay in silence_ , and such.

.  
.  
.

  
The demon’s eyes widened. Her?

Was he being weird? Are two men cuddling not normal? Should he even be this near to a man? What happens when Dipper wakes up? Is he going to freak out? What harsh things would he be saying if he did? Is he going to be mad? Should he be mad at himself for invading other’s personal space? Why was his stomach bothering him at a time like this? What was wrong with him? What the hell was he feeling? Why does Pine Tree still like the redhead, even though he knows that he’s absolutely got no chance with her? Why was he bothered with Dipper’s preference? Why was his head hurting?

As if reading Bill’s mind, Dipper let out a quiet groan and buried his face in the demon’s chest. The tired blonde sighed deeply and found himself smiling at the boy.

“Sorry,” Bill whispered, just as if Pine Tree would hear.

Another interesting thought popped up from Bill’s mind, from the memory of seeing the twins earlier. He decided to leave it, and just ask Dipper about it in the morning, or for when he wakes up.

“It's going to have to wait. Goodnight, Pine Tree, happy new year,” he murmured, before shutting his eyes and letting darkness take over, soon slipping into a dreamless sleep.


	2. Take It Easy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He what?" Bill asked, still confused.
> 
> Mabel sighed frustratingly at him, obviously not getting what she was trying to imply.
> 
> "Just, go easy on him, okay?"

In addition to the ray of bright light hitting his eyelids, the smell of cooking pancakes and bacon was enough to wake the sleeping demon up. He groaned in annoyance, rubbing his eyes harshly. Turns out, the brief, dreamless sleep he thought of experiencing somehow twisted into  _very_ disturbing nightmares, and he was both upset and relieved that they didn’t happen. Upset because he didn’t have a good sleep, and he might have somehow bothered Dipper in the process.

 ** _Oh how he hated emotions_**.

He stretched his arms and yawned, suddenly becoming aware of the empty space next to him. Slowly opening his eyes, he turned to the side and saw that Pine Tree wasn’t there.

“What the..?”

Bill rose indolently and looked around the room, eyes still droopy, searching for the brunet. He rubbed his eyes once more and squinted, hoping that the boy hadn’t left the room. He saw the door wide open though, indicating that the lad had definitely gotten out earlier than him.

 _“Keep it together, Cipher,_ ” he whispered to himself, as his thoughts from last night started to gradually take over his mind.

Does Dipper think he’s weird now? Was he mad at him? Why did he leave so early? Was he okay?

“Bill! Breakfast is ready!” a high-pitched female voice called, freeing him from his slight trance. Knowing it was Mabel, Bill sighed, pulling himself up and letting out another yawn. He was certainly _not_ prepared to face the day. Matter of fact, he didn’t want to get up, and had no intentions of doing so. All those plans were wiped from his memory though, as soon as he heard someone else call for him.

“Bill! Hurry up or I’m eating all of it!” another voice summoned, much different than before. It was weaker and lower, indicating that it was his beloved Pine Tree calling him. Bill felt a sudden rush of excitement run through his veins, and hurried in going out the door and dashing through the kitchen, forgetting the silly idea of staying in bed all day. He almost tripped over the carpet on the living room, but managed to enter gracefully into the dining room.

“The master has arrived,” Bill announced jokingly, getting the siblings’ attention, their heads whipping to his direction. Mabel laughed at him and Dipper scoffed amusingly. The demon saw that the boy had a new bandage wrapped around his head, making him feel a slight twinge in his heart. He frowned at the sight, but was immediately relieved when he realized that Dipper was awake and doing good.

Bill went over to Mabel and assisted in setting the table, after the brunette had screamed at him for about 10 times to help her. Chuckling, he grabs three plates and the utensils, arranging them neatly on the counter. Dipper gave him a torpid smile, but Bill pouted in return. He wanted to know if the boy was emotionally okay, because it looked as if Dipper had just been told that _he was pregnant and was left by his possible baby daddy_.

_Pregnant and was left by his possible baby daddy._

"OH MY GOD," The blonde suddenly let out an unruly cackle, startling the twins in the process. He slapped his thighs and bent down in laughter, unaware of what he was doing.

"ICANTBELIEVEIJUSTTHOUGHTOFTHEMOSTINAPPROPRIATEANDSADDESTTHINGINMYWHOLEHUMANLIFESPANOHMYGODIFUCKINGLOVEMYSELF,"Bill spat out without breathing, taking another deep inhale and continued laughing. While the whole situation might have been hilarious for him, he doesn't hear the brunette frantically begging for him to stop.

He kept laughing until the girl’s yells pierced through his ears.

“Bill, I said shut up goddamn it!” he heard Mabel shriek, who had somehow managed to abandon her cooking, rubbing her brother’s back in comfort, in hopes of trying to relax him.

 

The demon’s laughter died down when he noticed Dipper, his right hand clasped on his shirt near his chest, the other onto his sister’s arm, and his breaths getting shorter and shorter. His irises were moving rapidly in his eyes, and his face was scrunched in pain. Bill felt scared; what had he done?

“Shh, it’s fine,” his sister said soothingly, making the brunet inhale deeper, holding onto her arm firmly. Bill was too shocked to move and help, so he just stood there in his place, dumbfounded.

\-----

After about 15 agonizing minutes, Dipper had finally calmed down, and was able to smile and thank Mabel for helping him. She just sighed and hugged him, giving Bill an irked glare before resuming in serving the food.

“Er, what just happened?” Bill murmured awkwardly, taking the seat across the boy. Dipper just shook his head, not wanting to discuss the issue any further. Mabel came over and set the plate of pancakes in front of the two, still bothered at what happened. Her twin beamed at her, making the girl exhale in amenity.

“You’re okay?” she asked, Dipper nodding gladly and encouraging her to sit down. Her furious gaze was still locked on the regretful blonde, setting an uncomfortable atmosphere.

“I am. Thank you. Look, it’s okay,” the brunet assured her. Bill got a pancake and started to eat in silence.

“Please don’t get mad at Bill, he just doesn’t know,” he continued. Mabel hesitated at first, but after a lot of promises and assurances, she finally gave up and apologized to the demon.

“Sorry. I can’t really help worrying about Dipdop over here,” Mabel said, attempting to lighten up the mood.  Bill gave her a small, crooked smile in return, still feeling terrified.

“I’m sorry too, for uh... You know...”

He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, not really knowing what to say. Mabel just shrugged and told him it was alright.

They all dug in and ate their breakfast in peace, just enjoying each other’s company and taking advantage of the serene ambiance for a few moments. Bill applauded Mabel for her delicious cooking, making the brunette grin widely and forget about her irritation at him. Dipper smiled, happy that there wasn’t anything bothering them, and that everyone was fine.

After breakfast, Mabel made Bill wash the dishes as punishment for what he had done to her twin, the blonde not hesitating.

\-----

After _a long time_ , he was done.

“Congratulations, Bill. You’re the first in this household to ever wash a few couple of dishes in 30 minutes,” Dipper mocked. “Who in fucks name takes half an hour to wash a few plates?”

“I’m new to this, Pine Tree, don’t insult me,” Bill answered, drying the last spoon. He then dried his hands and placed them on his hips, exhaling in success. “ _Finally,”_ he muttered, Dipper snickering behind him.

“I’m going out you two! Take care of my bro-bro, okay Bill?” Mabel said, slipping on her flats and speedily going out the door. Dipper shrugged and went to the living room to watch T.V, making Bill follow him since he’s got nothing better to do.

"Where's she going?" Bill asked, settling down to the lad next to him. 

"A girl date," Dipper responded, feeling lazy to explain that she was actually going out with Pacifica. Before Bill could even open his mouth, Mabel had suddenly rushed back inside, causing the two men to jump in surprise.

“Oh! Before I forget, come with me, Cipher.”

The mention of his last name caused shivers to go down Bill’s spine, but he complied. Mabel dragged him to the bathroom and locked the door behind them. She examined him from head to toe, and it was clear that he was obviously afraid of what was happening.

“Listen kid, I don’t think I’m interested in what you’re about to do,” Bill choked out in nervousness. Mabel rolled her eyes.

“I’m not going to harass you, don’t worry." This made the demon sigh in relief.

I’m gay anyway,” she established, making him put two and two together. 

“Not the point, but hear me out,” the brunette continued, placing her hands on his shoulders. “Listen, Bill. Please don’t upset, scare, or surprise Dipper in any way. His heart can’t take the excitement, and if he gets too shaken up, he’ll... You know...”. 

Bill’s eyes widened. He understood what was going to happen, but he doesn’t get _why_.

“He’s got a condition... He’s not allowed to be too _overwhelmed._ Okay?” The girl’s eyes were desperate, but Bill just doesn’t get it. 

“You know... He’s sick..,” Mabel whispered. She wasn’t supposed to do this, but she just wanted to ensure her brother’s health.

 

"He what?" Bill asked, still confused.

 

Mabel sighed frustratingly at him, obviously not getting what she was trying to imply.

 

"Just, go easy on him, okay?"

 

Bill nodded slowly, and Mabel let him go. She unlocked the door and rushed out the house, letting out a quick ‘bye’ on her way out. Bill went out of the bathroom, dazed, and slowly went back to the living room to go watch with Pine Tree. He sat down beside him, making the couch dip down because of his weight and getting Dipper to acknowledge his presence.

“Oh, welcome back," Dipper mentioned, not taking his eyes off the T.V, but not really listening, either. "What’d she say?” he asked, making Bill shrug and reply that it was nothing important. The brunet let out an annoyed hum before turning his attention back to what he was watching. The demon sighed, trying not to let the Shooting Star’s words bother him too much.

Bill abruptly remembered the question he thought of from last night, and was eager to tell Dipper what he wanted. Dismissing the thoughts forming in his head from Mabel's words, he grabbed the remote control from the boy, and swiftly turned the T.V. off.

“Hey!” Dipper exclaimed, what are you-“

Bill cut him off quickly by making the brunet stand up with him and look into his eyes. The younger lad was taken aback by the demon’s actions, but decided to just go along with it.

“I want to do something else,” Bill said candidly. Dipper snorted at the statement, and he just rolled his eyes.

“Okay. What _do_ you want to do?”

....

The brunet stared into Bill’s eyes incredulously. Was he being serious?

“You’re kidding right?” he spat out, skeptical. The blonde shook his head vigorously, wanting Dipper to believe that he was being sincere. Bill grabbed his hands and held them gently, hoping that the gesture would convince him further.

“I’m serious, Pine Tree. I want to learn from you,” the demon said frankly.

The boy in front of him was obviously contemplating whether or not he should do it. They both stood there in silence, Dipper being amused at the fact that his hands weren’t sweating profusely, and Bill studying his facial features intently. A look of dissent washed over the brunet’s face, and Bill was worried that Pine Tree would reject him and say that he was being ridiculous. After a few minutes, the boy’s face showed both defeat and amusement, and Bill smiled as he heard that sweet, satisfying word come out of the lad’s mouth.

“Okay.”

Bill almost crushed the boy in his embrace, but Dipper interrupted him before he was even able to welcome him into open arms.

“BUT- I’ll do it in one condition.”

Dipper whispered to Bill his demand, and the demon almost laughed.

“That’s it? Hell, I’ll say it a million times just to assure you that I won’t be doing it,” he blurted out, making Dipper inwardly cringe. He knew he was going to regret it and that it was seriously going to crush him, but it was for the best if Bill didn’t do it.

“Okay, I promise.”

The boy smiled at him and pulled him into a warm embrace, Bill almost crushing him in exhilaration and gratefulness.

 

_If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen._


	3. Lesson Number One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipper regained his composure and felt kind of mean. He never intended to shout at Bill or make him feel bad; his head was just aching terribly from the medicine he took before, and frankly, it shortened his temper most of the time. The brunet half smiled and patted Bill’s shoulder.
> 
> “It’s fine. I’m sorry for lashing out. I didn’t mean to upset you. Just please… Remember the condition I mentioned, alright?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS SO LATE BUT HERE YOU GO I HOPE YOU ENJOY~

“Dipper, I’m going to work!” Mabel shouted, quickly putting on her sleek black platform heels, and checking herself in the mirror one last time. She knew that he was still asleep and wouldn’t hear her, but it felt right. It was already the third week of the new year in, and as much as Mabel wanted to go back to the city where her home was, she couldn’t risk taking Dipper back into the noisy and busy place. She wanted him to be okay, and decided that it would be best if he would stay somewhere that didn’t have anything loud or obnoxious.

The brunette still sighed, knowing that she couldn’t leave her work, either. She woke up at 4 am and showered, ate breakfast, and prepared herself for the shit ton of work she was going to face as soon as she reaches her office. It was already 5:15 a.m., when she was needed at 5:30.

Sighing once more, frustrated, Mabel hurriedly grabbed her white handbag from the bedside table and exited her room gracefully. While going down the stairs, she noticed a blonde-haired man stirring on the couch, groaning. His face was contorted into a look of discomfort and pain, and kept muttering something in a different language. Mabel raised an eyebrow at him, and cautiously made her way over to the couch. She poked his cheek, and as if she had electricity at her fingertips, the man sat up immediately with wide eyes. The brunette stepped back, a little shocked.

“What, who, where-?”

“Bill,” Mabel murmured, smirking a little at his reaction. “What are you doing here so early?”

The demon took a quick look around his surroundings with half-lidded eyes and squinted when he saw a strangely dressed woman in front of him. After realizing it was Mabel, he silently wondered why humans wear such peculiar clothing.

“What’s with the outfit, Shooting Star? You don’t look like yourself,” he questioned, taking double takes on the undeniably neat get up. Mabel loved dressing up for work, and her style for today was both simple and classic; she was wearing a tucked-in white button down with a black pencil skirt. Matching her bottom was a black blazer and heels. On her left wrist was a silver watch, and on her middle finger sat a beautiful diamond ring. She also wore a silver necklace with a heart-shaped pendant, and diamond earrings. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

“Staring is rude, Mr. Cipher,” Mabel said aloud, in the most professional way she can manage. She snickered lightly when Bill gave her an annoyed look.

“How can’t I? It looks weird. You look like one of those business humans.”

_“No shit Sherlock.”_

“What?”

“Nothing. Maybe it’s because I am?” The brunette said matter-of-factly. It wasn’t until a loud honk interrupted the two, that Mabel suddenly remembered she had called her driver to pick her up from here. Glancing at her watch, she muttered curses and rushed out the door, with Bill quietly following from behind.

Getting into her car, Mabel abruptly stopped the valet from closing the door and said a few words to Bill before taking off. The blonde just stood there, nodding a couple of times at the woman’s blabbering, not really comprehending what she was trying to say. She got his attention at the mention of Dipper, and Bill was now suddenly filled with enthusiasm and excitement when he realized that she was asking him to look over Dipper for a while.

“Take care of him, okay? No funny business.”

“Don’t you worry Shooting Star, everything is under control,” Bill said happily, smirking, knowing that he’s finally gonna have some alone time with Pine Tree.

“I sure hope so,” Mabel muttered to herself, before shutting the car door and bidding the demon goodbye as her driver started the car, soon speeding away. Bill was left smiling like an idiot, and after a couple of minutes of just staring into nothingness, he went back inside.

He glanced at the huge grandfather clock at the corner. 5:45. What does he have to do to get some action around here?

“Damn, I forgot to ask what time Pine Tree wakes up,” the demon said to himself. The silence was killing him, but he didn’t want to go ahead and disturb Dipper’s sleep just because he was bored. He decided to do something ‘nice’ for him, and cook breakfast. The problem was, Bill had absolutely no idea how to prepare a meal.

The blonde groaned, throwing himself on the couch noisily. What was he going to do until Pine Tree wakes up?

\-----

Dipper awoke to the smell of coffee brewing, and he smiled lazily. Mabel sure knew how to wake him up without disturbing him (or at least he thought).

He sat up and stretched for a while, before he heard glass breaking, and a familiar voice cursing out loud.

\-----

“Shit!” Bill exclaimed, staring at the broken coffee mug he accidentally knocked off the counter while getting a plate. He set the platter down gently and tried to pick up the shattered fragments of glass with his bare hands.

“Get away from there! Don’t touch anything!”

The demon stood upright and saw a distressed Pine Tree carrying a broom and dustpan rushing over towards him. The brunet made him step back from the mess, place the fragments he picked up on the dustpan, and carefully swept up the pieces of Mabel’s favorite coffee mug from the floor. While cleaning up, he was shaking his head and thinking about how his sister would be so upset when she gets back from… wherever she went. Dipper noticed from the corner of his eye, a regretful Bill twiddling his thumbs, clueless as to what was happening. He saw him wince when he hit a certain spot on his palm, and this made the brunet worry.

“Did you hurt yourself?” he asked, putting the dustpan aside and seeing Bill examine his hand calmly. He put the broom away and walked up to the demon, only noticing how serious the wound was. Dipper didn’t know whether or not he was supposed to scream at Bill or feel sorry because of how tightly he actually held the broken glass.

There were five different lacerations on his palm, with 3 bleeding profusely and the other two slowly pouring blood out. There were cuts on his fingers too, and Dipper was grateful that he was used to seeing the red liquid. He directed Bill to the sink to clean up the mess, and the blonde obeyed, not saying anything. The surge of cold water that hit his palm made Bill flinch, but he remained quiet. When the brunet managed to clean and disinfect Bill’s hand, he dressed the wounds, leaving Bill with a bandaged hand.

“You alright?” Dipper asked, concerned with what Bill might have been thinking. He saw him chuckle and grin smugly, leaning against the counter.

“After all these years, pain still is pretty hilarious.”

Dipper rolled his eyes and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee suddenly washed over him. He respired contently and went to pour himself a cup. “You did this yourself?”

Bill stopped staring at the strange pieces of thin cloth wrapped around his right hand and nodded. “Yep. I always see how it’s made in the diner.”

There were so many questions running through the lad’s head, but he dismissed them all, only wanting to find out the answer to one.

“Why are you here so early? Don’t you have a place to be?” The brunet inquired, mentally slapping himself for obvious reasons. _Duh, he’s a demon, he doesn’t really have a place to stay_.

The blonde chuckled at Pine Tree’s thoughts, and he shook his head. “I’m here because I’m excited for my first lesson!”

“About?” Dipper asked absentmindedly, sipping some more coffee. Bill smiled at how clueless his Pine Tree actually was, and smiled fondly.

_How adorable._

He whispered to the oblivious man, and almost made him choke on his beverage. “Oh, that!”

Bill nodded and Dipper set his cup down, feeling a sudden boost of energy from the caffeine. “Well, okay. Let’s start then.”

~~~

“How do I look, Pine Tree?”

Dipper quietly scanned Bill’s half-naked physique lustfully, his eyes completely fixated on the demon. To be honest, he didn’t know what he was expecting. Bill actually found a good looking body to possess; a tall and slender figure, with tanned skin and blonde hair. It suited him nicely. Dipper unconsciously licked his lips as soon as he has his gaze on Bill’s torso.

“Hey, kid?”

The name snapped the brunet out of his trance, and he shook his head in annoyance.

“Sorry, sorry. Was just thinking,” he murmured, looking down on his hands before playing with them mindlessly. Dipper let out a frustrated sigh, knowing that he was completely getting off topic with what he had made the demon do.

The action and statement made Bill smirk in amusement, thus causing the blonde to contemplate for a few moments whether or not to make fun of the adorable lad in front of him.

He did, anyway.

“Like what you see?” Bill teased, placing his hands on his hips before striking a ridiculous pose. Dipper scoffed and rolled his eyes at the demon. He tried to turn his back on him when he felt his cheeks heating up at the sight, but Bill held his chin and made the flustered brunet face him, causing the lad to blush even more. He shivered when he felt the man’s slender fingers stroke his jaw lightly.

Bill raised an eyebrow at Pine Tree’s peculiar response to the act, but he didn’t question it. He grinned when Dipper pulled away from his touch and looked down on his shoes.

“What’s wrong, _Pine Tree?_ ” Bill asked in a voice Dipper couldn’t resist, emphasizing his nickname. “You don’t like being _touched_ there?”

“Bill,” Dipper sighed, crossing his arms and looking at the demon in the eye.

“Hmmm?”

“This isn’t what I was talking about.”

Bill’s eyes drooped halfway and he gave Dipper a miffed look.

_You can’t just do what you want to do to others for your amusement._

“I was trying what you humans called the ‘seduction’,” Bill said, quoting the word with his fingers, and displeased with what the brunet was thinking. He actually did some research himself, and thought that the intimate moment that, although unintentionally initiated, was perfect. Guess not.

“Bill,” Dipper exclaimed, quite vexed. “Do you remember what you asked me? What you wanted to learn?”

The demon nodded, addressing the fact that the provoked man was being serious.  “Yes. I remember it clearly,” he said flatly, making sure that Dipper knew he was being sincere.

“And what was that?”

 

* * *

 

“Okay. What do you want to do?”

Bill leaned in closer to whisper to Dipper, not wanting any other living creature to hear what favor he’ll be asking from the impatient brunet in front of him.

“Teach me how to love, Pine Tree. I want to learn about this emotion, and I felt, ironically, that no other person would be a better mentor than you.”

 

* * *

 

The blonde closed his eyes and let out a loud huff. “How to love. Sorry.”

Dipper regained his composure and felt kind of mean. He never intended to shout at Bill or make him feel bad; his head was just aching terribly from the medicine he took before, and frankly, it shortened his temper most of the time. The brunet half smiled and patted Bill’s shoulder.

“It’s fine. I’m sorry for lashing out. I didn’t mean to upset you. Just please… Remember the condition I mentioned, alright?”

The demon’s eyes instantly widened at the reminder, but nodded.

“So wait… The sexual enticement is part of the thing I’m not permitted to do?” Bill questioned. Dipper cringed, but nodded anyway.

“We’re getting off topic,” Dipper said, laughing a little. Bill chuckled along and shrugged.

“Why did you even get me inside your room and make me take off my shirt and look at myself at your mirror?” Bill asked, now becoming fully aware of the situation he was in. Once again, he was thoroughly amused with every second he spends with Pine Tree. He didn’t mind, though.

“I was supposed to let you realize what the first thing about love was, but I don’t think you quite got the concept,” the brunet stated, scratching the back of his neck in dissatisfaction.

“Really? Can you just go straight to the point, then?” The blonde inquired, not wanting to trouble his Pine Tree any longer.

“Lesson number one, Bill. Learn how to love your whole self, and look past the imperfections. Sure, pain may be hilarious, but it’s not going to do you any good when you inflict it on yourself.”

The demon immediately caught sight of his bandaged hand from earlier. He held it up to take a better look and rubbed it gently.

Love sure is strange.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING FOR A MONTH ;n; January is a really busy month for me, but I hope I'll be able to make it up to you all by updating multiple times this week :D stay tuned~


	4. Permanence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Those words broke the brunet’s heart. He gently brushed the hair out of the sleeping man’s face and caressed his cheek. No matter how much of a nuisance he was, Dipper still felt the need to care for him, and he wanted him to be okay.

Bill was currently sitting under the shade of his favorite tree in the woods, overthinking last week’s lesson. His wounds healed after a few days, but he still kept his hand bandaged. This was his way of applying the first rule to the so-called ‘love’, and he was trying his best to please Pine Tree. He appreciated how even though they used to have bad blood between them, the brunet was willing to teach him about the most powerful emotion in the mortal plane. Of course, this isn’t really known by mere humans, and Bill decided to keep his mouth shut.

Dwelling deeper at the thought of his past enemy, the demon smiled, thinking about how he cared so much about everything. It really amazed him how the brunet had so much love to give to everyone, and never seemed to run out. If he was to decide, Dipper might have been the strongest man on Earth, considering the size of his heart and how much love he possessed.

Bill dismissed his thoughts, and decided to watch the captivating view before him. It was dusk, and the way the sky’s colors transitioned from a warm palette to a cool one was gratifying.

Bill’s location was somewhere not many people really notice, nor care about. It was at the far edge of the forest, almost at the outskirts of the town, and it was where he usually went to be alone. Although it kind of serves as his home, he doesn’t consider it one. Sure it was peaceful and nobody can ever bother him, but there was always something missing. Wasn’t home supposed to be somewhere you can feel safe and complete?

Ever since taking the form of a human, the demon really didn’t know too much how to take care of himself. Sure he knew how those meatsacks survive, but he couldn’t do it to himself. He was still pretty smug, but he was completely helpless at the same time. Hell, he doesn’t even have a roof above his head, and relies on the diner and vending machines to last.

He was a complete wreck, but he kept it to himself, thinking it was fine as long as he was still alive.

 -----

Dipper, on the other hand, was all alone in the Mystery Shack (which was converted into a pretty decent home after his Grunkle Stan left it up to him and his sister to take care of it). He was watching some random shit show, and was completely bored out of his mind. Mabel called earlier, saying that she can’t leave work and wants him to stay there because of his condition. Dipper understood, and his sister made it clear that he’s not allowed to tire himself out and that Bill is supposed to take care of him. She also told him not to worry about any financial problems; she said she’ll cover for everything as long as he’s okay. The brunet didn’t try to fight her, because she was insistent and it was only right since Dipper really wasn’t allowed to work.

The only problem was, he was really disappointed when he realized that he wouldn’t be able to see her again for a really long time.

The man respired unhappily, and reached for the remote to turn the loud television off. He stood up from the couch and stretched, wondering what he else he could do to preoccupy himself. Scratching his head, he only then acknowledged the absence of the obnoxious blonde that was supposed to keep him company. Where was he?

It started to rain outside, and Dipper grew anxious. He knew the demon didn’t really specify where he lived, and was clueless as to how people pretty much survived. He strode to his room to grab an umbrella, and took his blue jacket along with him. He switched all the lights off and getting the keys, he locked the front door and proceeded to find Bill.

 -----

“Fucking hell,” the blonde muttered, feeling cold droplets of water slide down his forehead, then cheek, then his body. It was just a light drizzle, but Bill really despised rain. He doesn’t understand why the sky had to be emotional sometimes, and considered that those beads of water were just tears from the clouds weeping above him. He stood up from where he was sitting, and parted his now wet hair to the side. He decided to walk to town and stay at the diner, but immediately remembered his Pine Tree.

“I’ll ask if I can stay the night again,” he whispered to himself, suddenly feeling cold when a sudden breeze flew past him. Hugging himself, he then trudged along the drenched piles of fallen leaves and twigs to find Dipper.

 ------

“Sorry, I haven’t seen any blonde guy strolling around here today,” the old woman replied to Dipper. He nodded and greeted her a good night, and she closed the door on him. The brunet sighed, slightly desperate to somehow find Bill walking around even if it’s raining. He already searched for 2 hours, and he was getting quite tired. Nevertheless, Dipper figured he might be at the diner, so he decided to check.

As he started to walk away from the house, he immediately bumped into someone. He lost his balance and managed to drag the said person along with him when he fell. He was completely soaked in rainwater, and he had to thank the guy on top of him for doing it.

“Watch where you’re going!” Dipper screeched, his voice cracking embarrassingly as he did. He took a better look at the man, and gasped when he realized it was who he was looking for.

“S-s-sorry…” Bill stammered, his teeth chattering as he spoke. He had walked around the woods for an hour and a half because it was dark, and struggled to find Dipper’s house because his vision was already blurring thanks to the rain and fatigue.

“Hey, come on,” Dipper said, standing up and lugging the shivering man’s arm on his shoulders to help him get up, not minding being wet anymore. “Can you walk?” The blonde nodded stiffly, being unable to talk because of the extreme weakness he felt. Dipper shook his head in response and even though it was hard, he dragged Bill over to his home.

 -----

Two showers and two cups of coffee later, Bill was completely covered in blankets in Dipper’s bed, and had a bowl of hot soup waiting for him at the side table. Dipper had lent him an extra set of clothes when he showered, and was grateful when he saw that he was lent a big, fluffy sweater. He was also thankful for the man’s hospitability, and almost felt guilty for always messing with him before.

“It’s weird how it suddenly rained, huh?” a voice broke out, distracting Bill from his thoughts. He looked over to the door, and saw Dipper leaning there, admiring him. At least he thought he was.

“Why are you smiling so affectionately? It’s making me feel queasy,” the demon inquired, his voice barely above a whisper, but the brunet heard him anyway.

“You look so adorable being wrapped up in those blankets.”

Bill knew what he was thinking, and was most definitely not amused. Dipper smirked when he saw his eyebrows furrow, and rolled his eyes at the blonde.

  
_You pretty much look like a baby._

  
“I don’t like being compared to those small, drooling meatsacks,” Bill stated quietly, and Dipper rolled his eyes once more. He cautiously made his way over to the bed, and sat down beside the blonde human burrito. He placed a hand over his forehead, and was relieved his temperature wasn’t as low as earlier.

“You okay?” the brunet asked, genuinely concerned about the man. Sure he was an ass sometimes, but he’s still only human.

Kind of.

“I guess I am,” the demon replied, his eyelids drooping at the sudden wave of sleepiness washing over him. He yawned and blinked slowly at Dipper, not really knowing whether he should still converse with him or rest.

“Can I ask something before you sleep?” Dipper questioned, sensing the change in Bill’s voice. The blonde just nodded back, and yawned again.

“Where do you stay here? Like, do you have your own house?”

“I live in the woods,” Bill managed to reply, before shutting his eyes and letting darkness take over.

Those words broke the brunet’s heart. He gently brushed the hair out of the sleeping man’s face and caressed his cheek. No matter how much of a nuisance he was, Dipper still felt the need to care for him, and he wanted him to be okay.

“Don’t ever worry about anything anymore. This is your home now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm literally the shittiest author ever =n= I'm so sorry for not sticking to the multiple updates in a week thing, I'll be doing it this week :3 EXAMS ARE OVER SO (~^.^)~ hope you enjoyed this chapter even if it was terribly written XD basically what happened is Dipper decided to have Bill live with him because he feels terrible for him :> I'll be explaining further in the next chapter, so stay tuned :D


	5. Sharing is Caring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hey, Pine Tree? Are you okay?” Bill whispered, poking his cheek softly. No response.
> 
> This happened in New Year’s, too…

“Bill, stop it!”

Dipper snatched the pair of grey boxers from the laughing blonde in front of him, and gave him a glare. Bill merely shrugged and snorted at the irritated man, throwing himself on the bed carelessly.

“You need to loosen up a bit sometimes, Pine Tree,” he stated, giving Dipper a mischievous smirk as the brunet picked up after the mess and put everything back in its proper place. Dipper sighed and crossed his arms; an unamused expression sprawled across his face.

“ _I_ need to loosen up? Maybe _you_ need to _calm the fuck_ _down_ sometimes.”

“Watch your language, kid,” Bill said, not liking how the curse slipped from the brunet’s mouth. He was most certainly _not_ pleased with what he was thinking, either. He sat up from the bed and looked at Dipper dead in the eye with his own vexed appearance.

“I know, you’re basically 21 and you can do whatever you want, but you know to yourself that that’s just wrong,” he said, imitating Dipper and crossing his arms, but in all seriousness and was not to be ridiculed right now. The brunet saw this as a pathetic way of trying to offending him, and because of impulse, he in return fired back insults.

“Really? Says the demon who fucked up me and my sister’s life when we were younger. And almost killed us. And our family and all who we love and care about. Oh, and not to mention you wanted to destroy the whole bloody world when you- “

That did it. Dipper saw Bill’s slitted yellow eyes turn to red, with his pupils turning white and his body frame shaking completely from anger.

“I know, alright?! Stop making me remember the shit I used to do when I thought I was still some all-mighty powerful being!”

Dipper’s eyes widened and was taken aback at the sudden outburst of the man, who was laughing just moments ago. His arms were no longer crossed and fists were clenched, his knuckles turning pale from the pressure he was applying to his hands, and he was breathing heavily; obviously trying to calm himself down.

“Listen...,” Bill started, closing his eyes and exhaling loudly. “I need to be alone for a while.”

Dipper didn’t try to fight him because the pain in his head was causing him an immense amount of pain. Everything was getting blurry and his heart beat against his chest harshly, making it feel like he was going to faint at any second. He breathed with much difficulty and clutching his chest, he held on to the dresser beside him with his other hand and focused on getting his breathing together.

“Hey, kid?”

The brunet ignored him, lost in his own desperation to inhale and exhale properly. He closed his eyes and tried to do the exercises his doctor before asked him to do, but they were no use.

“Dipper,” he heard a more demanding tone, but dared not look back. He felt a warm hand on his shoulder; eventually rubbing small circles against his back in hopes of helping him relax. Bill sensed that the man was going through something, but he couldn’t recall what sickness it was. All the anger inside him vanished when he saw the only person who he felt cared about him was having trouble breathing.

“Hey, hey. I’m here.”

Bill helped the now dangerously pale human to get to the bed and lie down. Every breath Dipper took was quick and loud, like he was drowning underwater and needed oxygen to fill his lungs. He never let go of his chest, until Bill pried his hand off his shirt to lead him to the mattress. The brunet didn’t budge though, and this gave the demon no other option but to carry him.

Not that he was complaining.

Dipper was surprisingly light for Bill, and he was able to swoop him up with ease and carry him bridal-style, careful not to make any sudden movements that might trouble the brunet more.

“Shh. I’m here.”

As he lay the man on the soft bed, that was when he immediately felt the brunet’s body go limp. He stopped hyperventilating, and his body just came to a halt- excluding the deep breathing he was now doing. Bill hasn’t got a clue on what just happened, and this caused him to worry more than before.

He felt as if he was left all alone, and as much as he didn’t want to admit it, it scared him.

“Hey, Pine Tree? Are you okay?” Bill whispered, poking his cheek softly. No response.

_This happened in New Year’s, too…_

The blonde sat down, causing the mattress to dip down by his weight and making Dipper’s body roll the slightest to his direction. He didn’t care about this, and covering his face in his hands, he let all his frustration and anger out in the form of tears.

_I’m so sorry…_

_\-----_

What seemed like hours that were actually just a few minutes, Dipper woke up after 15. He took deep breaths first before getting up, and rubbed his chest.

_Damn it. Must be a new record._

He sighed and looked around his room. It was past noon when he glanced at the clock, and he groaned. He was so sick of having to see the same stuff all the time that he decided to go out and have a short walk to clear his mind. Yawning, he pushed himself off the bed and stretched. Before getting out of his room, he only noticed a small, crouched figure on the floor. Realizing it was Bill, he went over to him and tapped his shoulder. The blonde was unresponsive at first, but eventually turned his head to see Dipper awake, and okay. His eyes widened at the view, and a sense of relief washed over him.

Bill’s tear-stained cheeks were enough to make the brunet remember what happened earlier before he passed out. He felt bad because he knew he overreacted again, and immediately apologized.

“Hey. I’m really sorry for earlier,” he murmured, stretching a hand out to help Bill stand. The demon gladly took it, and wiping his tears away, he shook his head in reply.

“No. I’m sorry… for acting so childish.”

Dipper smiled because he knew that Bill was really trying to be good, and was glad that he had a change of heart in the first place.

"You know, never mind about that. It's done already." Bill shrugged and gave him a small sad smile, still feeling guilty of what happened because of him.

“Hey. Walk with me?” the brunet immediately asked, in an attempt to forget about the topic at hand.  Bill raised his eyebrows questioningly. “Where?”

“I want to talk to you about something. You know your way around the woods?”

Bill instantly forgot about the situation and resisted the urge to roll his eyes, because it was such a ridiculous question to ask since Dipper already knew he used to live there. Maybe he forgot.

_Humans._

“Don’t worry Pine Tree, I promise you I won’t get us lost.”

The man smiled again and took his hand and led him outside. After locking the door behind him, Dipper took the opportunity to breathe in the fresh afternoon air.

“Ahhh. Nothing feels better than the afternoon breeze, right Bill?”

The blonde nodded in agreement and gave him a small smirk. Dipper rolled his eyes and took his hand again to go to the forest. He was actually going faster than the normal walk, and this confused Bill.

“Woah there, eager to get to the woods, adventurer?” Bill asked. He was actually feeling pretty nostalgic because the same old Dipper was still there, only he had matured and grown taller.

“I still love this place, and I miss going on explorations and such. You know, not knowing where you’re going and getting really giddy and scared at the same time because you’re really clueless on what’s about to happen.”

Unexpectedly, Bill let out a fond laugh. He never changed.

“Hey, I know somewhere nice we can hang out at,” Bill mentioned, stopping inn his tracks. Dipper looked back to face him, and nodded in approval.

“Lead the way, then.”

\-----

“…and that’s really what I’ve been up to, until you came along and told me that your home was mine.”

Dipper was seriously emotional at this point, and was hugging his knees to his chest to prevent from crying. He and Bill were under the shade of the blonde’s favorite tree, and Bill felt kind of nice, because he got to share his favorite place with his favorite person.

_Wait… what?_

“I’m really not regretting giving letting you live with me,” a voice broke out. Bill noticed Dipper’s voice go a pitch higher, and thought it was really cute. Meanwhile the brunet was being sentimental, contradicting to the emotions that the man sitting beside him felt.

“You know Bill, sharing is caring,” he continued. “Not only by means of materials things and stuff, but also what you feel, what your thoughts are about certain topics…”

The demon didn’t listen anymore, because he was lost in his own little world with his thoughts again.

Sharing is caring… so because Pine Tree shared his home, he cares about me? Why would anyone care for someone who once wanted to destroy the world solely because he could? Was I going too far with that before? Am I bad? Am I still bad? I really am trying to live a kind of mortal life, but I just sometimes don’t comprehend why humans are like this sometimes. Is this what they call overthinking? Does Pine Tree think I’m weird? Should I apologize for being like this? Are there any more people kind like him, to let such an evil force bring harm to his home and _still_ forgive?

“…Bill?”

The blonde snapped out of his thoughts and faced Dipper with a small smile on his face. “Yeah?”

“Were you listening?”

He wanted to be honest, but he didn’t want to hurt his feelings, either. He went with his gut feeling instead. He turned to face the other way and sighed.

“I’m sorry.”

“For?”

“Everything, really. Almost killing you, the world, your family, being a nuisance, being annoying, causing trouble. I’m sorry.”

At this point, Bill felt devoid of any feelings, but the teardrops on his face say otherwise. He wasn’t sure about what he was feeling at that moment, and wow did he really hate emotions.

Dipper patted his back. “It’s okay. I’ve forgiven you a long time ago.”

Bill wanted to shake him vigorously and question why he had so much fucking love and patience in him. It was a good thing he didn’t, and just nodded.

“Did you really have to go through the trouble of buying me clothes and stuff? I mean, I could always borrow yours, right?”

“That’s something different. We aren’t supposed to share clothes. It’s for our own use.”

Bill nodded.

“Even underwear?”

“Bill!”

“Just kidding! Hey, come on, you laughed!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah so unpolished =u= hope you guys like this chapter, though I didn't expect it to be this long ehe  
> to make things clear, since i haven't been updating, i'm seriously WAY behind schedule with this ahaaaaa XD  
> spoiler: next chapter's gonna be all about that "L" word, so until then, stay tuned! :D


	6. Valentines? (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Woah there, Pine Tree, if there’s anyone that should stop being adorable, it’s you,” Bill responded, with a cheeky wink. “You’re turning red.”

“Where the hell is he?”

Dipper was lounging on the couch, completely bored out of his mind. He was currently waiting for a certain blonde man to come back from wherever the hell he went off to. He didn’t even tell him where he was going; the next thing the brunet knew was he was all alone in the house the next morning. To be frank, Dipper was actually getting used to Bill’s impishness, so the silence of the ambience bothered him.

He pushed himself off the uncomfortable sofa and went to his room to check his calendar. He wasn’t really keeping track of the dates these days, and he couldn’t care less. Today was different though, because he felt as if he was forgetting something important.

_February 14._

Dipper’s eyes widened when he saw the date encircled in red ink. He couldn’t remember marking the day, and was most certainly not looking forward to it. He remembered how he and Mabel used to spend Valentine’s together, and felt his heart ache at the memories.

Sighing deeply, the brunet decided to call her up and ask how things were going. He picked up the business card that lay beside the picture of him and his sister on the bedside table, and dragged himself to the phone at the living room.

Knowing that Mabel was busy and hated being interrupted in the middle of work, he decided to call her anyways. He dialed her work number and waited patiently for her to pick up. After about 5 rings, there was a clicking sound.

“Hey, Mabel?”

“I’m sorry, but Ms. Pines isn’t available right now,” another person answered.

“Is this Cheryl?” Dipper replied. He recognized the voice, but wasn’t quite sure of the name. The woman on the other end laughed and ‘tsked at him.

“You always get my name wrong. It’s Christie.”

“Oh.”

“You know? Your sister’s secretary for almost 8 years?”

Dipper felt embarrassed. “Sorry Christie. Is Mabel around?”

“She’s out celebrating today with Ms. Northwest. Hasn’t she informed you?” The brunet rolled his eyes at this, mentally slapping himself for forgetting that Mabel always spends the occasion with Pacifica.

“To be honest, she hasn’t really kept in touch since she left. Just wanted to greet her or something.”

Dipper sighed at his words, and he felt pathetic when he heard Christie sympathize him.

“I’m sorry. She brought her phone with her though, I’m sure you can call or leave a text.”

“Alright. Thanks. Happy Valentine’s by the way.”

He heard the woman smile judging by her words. “Happy Valentine’s to you too, Mr. Pines.”

He hung up grimly and collapsed on the sofa again. He didn’t want to disturb Mabel’s date, so he decided not to contact her. Staring at the white ceiling above him, he thought about what to do to celebrate the day. It wasn’t even past noon yet, and Dipper really wanted to do something special. It was sad to think that he was probably going to spend Valentine’s alone, but he shrugged it off. With all the ideas going through his head, he managed to fall asleep the second time today.

 

* * *

 

“Dipper! It’s a special day today! Why are you so sad?”

Mabel was trying her hardest to cheer her brother up. It was their first valentine’s without their parents, and Dipper couldn’t help but cry.

“I-It’s n-not the s-same…”

The brunette’s heart ached for the boy, but she knew a long time ago that crying wouldn’t bring their parents back. Mabel shed a tear, but she immediately wiped it away to remain her cool. She brought Dipper into a hug, took his cap off and patted his disheveled hair.

“Come on. I know it’s tough, but don’t you remember what mom told us?”

Dipper sniffled. Yes, he remembered very clearly what they had been told, but he couldn’t stop himself from bursting into tears. The thought of his mom comforting him when he was little because he didn’t have a valentine made him sob even more.

Mabel sighed and held him as long as he needed to be. She didn’t mind that Dipper trembled so much, and she rubbed his back soothingly to help calm him down. She knew better and did not say a word until he had completely stopped quivering. She let him go and gave him a teary-eyed smile.

Dipper’s chest started to hurt, but he ignored it. He thought Mabel was the strongest person on Earth for enduring this kind of pain, and was grateful she was there to keep him sane. He forced a smile and Mabel let out a laugh.

“That’s the spirit! Now, I want you to check your bag and tell me what’s inside.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Pine tree! Hey, wake up!”

Dipper awoke to a teary-eyed Bill shaking him forcefully. He was actually ecstatic to see the blonde again, but the fact that he suddenly left without leaving any note, then coming back crying made the brunet confused and irritated at the same time. Nevertheless, he stared into his glossy golden eyes and managed a small smirk.

“Hi.”

Bill let out a gasp, and made the sluggish man sit up. He wrapped his arms around him tightly, and choked out a sob. Dipper’s eyes widened; this was the first time he had encountered the blonde emotional, and to be honest, it was quite a shock.

“Y-you were c-crying! I-in your sleep!” the demon whimpered, burying his face into Dipper’s neck. “I-I felt s-scared, you n-never cry unless y-you… Y-you…”

Following Bill’s words, Dipper felt a warm tear escape his eye and slide down his cheek.

_The dream._

The brunet patted the rambling blonde’s back and apologized for making him worry so much. Bill shook his head and let go of him slowly, revealing his red eyes and flushed cheeks.

“Why are you apologizing? You’ve got nothing to be sorry about! If anyone should be sorry, it should be me!”

Bill has never showed this much emotion before, and the brunet’s never heard him realize his own mistake. Dipper let out a slightly satisfied smile, and wiped his own tears away. He stood up from the uncomfortable position he was in and stretched his arms out.

“Come here, you.”

Bill rubbed his eyes harshly and stood up quietly, letting the brunet embrace him. A feeling of warmth and security washed over him. In all honesty, it was scary to feel something so nice and reassuring after hours of overthinking, but it was pleasant. They stayed like that for a few minutes, with Dipper rubbing the demon's back soothingly to help him calm down.

“Are you feeling alright now?” Dipper asked softly. Bill sighed contentedly and nodded in reply.

“I'm okay. Thank you, Pine Tree.”

Bill pulled away from the hug and gave Dipper a half-hearted smile. The brunet returned it and proceeded to sit back down on the couch. The blonde only followed and went to stare at the ceiling, thinking again. Dipper shook his head and glanced at the clock behind them.

4:30.

_Damn. I fell asleep for a long time again._

“Hey, Bill?”

“Hm?”

“Do you know what day it is?”

Bill stared ahead and pondered for a while before giving an answer. “14th of Ferbuary. Why?”

“Do you know anything about this day?”

“Hmmm…”

Dipper chuckled at the wondering man beside him. He was actually pretty cute because he was stroking his chin as if he had a beard or something. A smirk crept its way upon Bill’s lips, making Dipper assume he’s got his answer.

“Is it sit-on-the-couch-with-someone-and-eat-tubs-of-ice-cream-together-while-watching-crap-TV day?” Bill replied enthusiastically, although it seemed like more of a suggestion.

“Close enough!” Dipper laughed.

Bill chuckled along with him and stood up to go to the kitchen a few moments later. There was a small crash heard followed by the sound of Bill cursing out loud, muttering something about a pan hitting his foot. Dipper snorted and shook his head at the demon.

_What a dork._

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” Bill yelled out. Dipper looked behind him and saw the blonde holding a plastic bag with four tubs of ice cream in one hand, and two spoons at the other, while limping over to the couch. Dipper couldn’t help but blush at what he said, and laugh at the sight.

“Oh my God, what is wrong with you?” Dipper exclaimed, still laughing when Bill reached the sofa and collapsed beside him. He uttered curses under his breath and smiled at the giggling brunet.

“Sorry, I just wanted you to see I did ‘grocery shopping’,” Bill said with a pout.

_Fuck, why is he being so adorable?_

“Bill, grocery shopping isn’t just buying ice cream,” Dipper explained, chuckling lightly.

“But didn’t you say it was getting what we needed? I thought for sure you needed this, because it cheers you up!”

_STOP BEING ADORABLE._

“Woah there, Pine Tree, if there’s anyone that should stop being adorable, it’s you,” Bill responded, with a cheeky wink. “You’re turning red.”

Dipper rolled his eyes and punched Bill’s arm playfully.

“Hand me the remote.”

\-----

After lounging on the couch all afternoon while consuming enormous tubs of ice cream, the two were exhausted. Funny how lying around for a few hours could be so tiring. The brunet had just woken up from his unintentional slumber, and saw that his partner had fallen asleep as well. They were actually in a comfortable-uncomfortable position: they were spooning. Guess who the little spoon was?

Dipper detangled himself from Bill’s arms, careful not to disturb him too much. He chuckled when he heard him snoring lightly, and thought he was just the most precious demon around.

Standing up, Dipper stretched and saw what a mess they had actually made earlier. The brunet groaned silently, but he went to clean up without hesitation. He made sure that he made as little noise as possible to not wake up the sleeping man.

He threw out the plastics, washed the utensils, and chugged down 3 glasses of water before waking Bill up to go to the bedroom.

“Pst. Bill,” Dipper whispered, poking the blonde’s cheek lightly. “Wake up.”

Bill responded by moaning _ever so loudly_ and swatting the brunet’s hand away.

“Go away,” he muttered sleepily. Dipper blushed in embarrassment because of the situation, but decided to be mature about it.

“Bill. Go to your room. Come on, it’s half past nine.”

“Nooooooooo.”

“Bill.”

“Ugh, no. Go away.”

“Guess you’re sleeping on the couch, then.”

The response made Bill open an eye and stare at the brunet, annoyed. He stretches and sits up, rubbing his eyes sleepily, with a grumpy expression sprawled across his face. Dipper smiled at how adorable he was when he was pouty, and he pinched his cheek.

“Mhh.”

“Hey there sleepy head. Drink some water then brush your teeth before going to your room, alright?”

Bill just nodded in reply, not really listening to what Dipper was saying. As the brunet headed to his bedroom, Bill blurted something out loud that made him stop in his tracks.

“Pine Tree, don’t you mean our room?”

Dipper blushed at the statement. It wasn’t his fault he didn’t want Bill sleeping in his sister’s room.

“Yeah, yeah. Our room…”

He heard the blonde chuckle behind him. “Alright. I’ll just go get ready for bed.”

\-----

Bill obviously didn’t have his own room yet, and Dipper didn’t want him in Mabel’s room, so Dipper set up a comfy little bed at the other corner of his. It’s not like Bill uses it; the brunet just thought maybe if he needed his own space, he could go there. Dipper’s bed was big enough to accommodate two people, so he was fine with having Bill beside him.

Dipper instantly fell asleep when his head hit the pillow. Bill came inside to see the brunet all snuggled up with his many pillows, and he smiled fondly at the sight.

_Why is my heart fluctuating like this?_

Bill closed the door softly and tiptoed over to the bed, crawling under the covers and finally wrapping his arms around the sleeping cutie. He ruffled his hair gently and sighed contently, before drifting to sleep.

 

“Goodnight, Pine Tree. I’ll see you in the morning once more.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_It feels familiar, yet so foreign at the same time. I wish I can fall asleep to this forever._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (i was high on caffeine while writing this pls excuse any spelling/grammatical errors hehe)
> 
> this is part one of this chapter! posting part two later :3  
> I'm so so so so so so sorry for not updating regularly! I've been deprived of inspiration since summer started, and it's a serious bummer =3= Hopefully I'll be updating more often, because nO MORE CLASSES WOO~  
> stay tuned for part two c;


	7. Valentines? (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I just want to let you know you’re definitely sweeter than caramel.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DO CORRECT ME IF I'VE GOT ANY FRENCH CORRECTIONS I'VE LITERALLY TYPED THIS FROM 1 AM TO 11 AM forgive me

“Uh, yeah. One bouquet of roses please.”

* * *

 

_Heya, Pine Tree!_

_Good morning! Or afternoon? I learned my lesson on leaving you a note when I go out, so here it is! Yeah!_

_I woke up really early this morning and went to my usual spot in the forest where I do some thinking. Don’t try and find me there, I’ve probably gotten up to go somewhere else and buy stuff. So yeah._

_Let’s meet at my place in the woods later at 8! I’ve got something to show you ;D_

_-Bill Cipher._

Dipper raised an eyebrow at the pink note that was left on the kitchen counter. He was slightly amused at the fact that the blonde had written his whole name in red as signature, and that the paper was pink. Dipper chuckled at the tiny hearts drawn at every corner, and blushed a bit.

It was strange to have Bill figure out himself that he needed to leave a note when he leaves, but oh well. He was human already; he should learn things by himself. The brunet smacked himself on the forehead for thinking like a mother with a teenage child, and huffed.

Dipper checked his watch and saw that it was 2 pm. Strange. It’s been so long since he’s done anything productive, and he was itching to do something exciting. To be fair, it would most likely result in another attack or something more dangerous for his health if he attempted to do anything that made him feel the blood rush in his veins; but he thought, “Fuck it, I’ll do whatever I please.”

Pouring himself a cup of coffee, he wonders to himself on what to do that won’t make him groan in dissatisfaction, quit the activity and proceed to sleep the day away.

 -----

After reading 3 novels in a row, crying silently in his room because of character deaths for an hour and it was 5:30 pm, and Dipper was bored once more. Rubbing his already puffy eyes, he was thinking about where the blonde man would be and what he would be doing at that moment.

“Why can he have fun and I can’t?” The brunet said, quite envious of Bill’s condition, although he didn’t let this bother him too much. He stood up from the chair he was lounging on and stretched for a little while, debating whether or not to cook dinner tonight or just eat at the diner. He looked out the kitchen window and let the beautiful scene that transpired before him clear his mind.

The sky had a mix of various shades of warm hues, the darkest ones masking the parts where golden rays of sunshine weren’t present. As the sun slowly descended, the golden colour of all the objects its rays have touched were gradually overshadowed by the darkness that has stretched over the horizon. Dipper gazed at the magnificent view, and sighed peacefully.

After the sun had completely gone down, he decided to go out and take a stroll in town. Sure it was dark, but there was no real danger in going out except for Bill scaring him at some point. Also, he wasn’t really going to go somewhere specific; he just wanted an excuse to think about thrilling things he can do tomorrow while not hearing the droning whir of the fan. He lazily dragged himself to his room, and took out his favourite navy blue hoodie and keys to the house. He zipped up his jacket and went out, locking the door behind him.

“Off I go, then.”

 

* * *

 

“What do you mean you don’t have those types of flowers? What kind of business are you running here?”

“I’m terribly sorry sir, but they are very rare at this time of year.”

“Okay, fine. Thanks anyways.”

* * *

 

 

Whilst walking around with his hands in his pockets, smiling at familiar faces that were lit by streetlamps and such, Dipper noticed a peculiar house that wasn’t there before sitting at the left side of the street. Because of the town’s slightly old-fashioned buildings, the modern home stood out from the rest. Walking closer towards it, the house was surrounded with a black metal fence, with colourful potted flowers at each of the gate’s sides. The building itself had a square white structure, with the second floor slightly adjusted to the left to create an edgy design, and  it possessed many glass windows; including a glass door. The lights were all lit, meaning there was someone who already occupied it.

“I bet Mabel would’ve lived in this house,” Dipper said to himself, smiling and immediately frowning at the thought of his sister who he missed badly. He decided to call her when he got home, but alas, the fear of not wanting to bother her after a long day settled in, and he sighed. Disappointed and about to head back home, he turned around and bumped into someone. As if he wasn’t clumsy enough.

“Oof!”

The person was way smaller than him so he didn’t fall back; but the stranger did. He was pretty surprised that he was taller than someone, and the thought made him smirk inwardly.

“I’m so sorry, are you alright?” The brunet asked, looking down to see a raven haired girl wearing a grey beanie rub her face and groan. She looked up to meet Dipper’s eyes, and Dipper froze.

If he didn’t say that the stranger’s eyes were the most beautiful shade of blue he has ever seen be dimly lit by nothing but yellowing streetlamps, he would be lying.

“Uhm, hello there. Can you please help me up?”

The girl had a heavy French accent, and Dipper instantly blushed, eyes widening. She was getting more attractive by the second, and if the brunet hadn’t offered her a hand, he wouldn’t have seen the most gorgeous lip smile he’s ever witnessed. The lass brushed her bangs to the side, and thanked him.

_How is it possible to find a stranger so alluring at this time of night?_

“I’m terribly sorry,” the girl started.  “I wasn’t looking where I was-“

“Non! C'était de ma faute,” Dipper suddenly blurted out, making the girl raise her eyebrows in surprise. She gave him another smile and responded.

“Oh! Vous parlez Français? Je m’apelle Veronica, mais vous pouvez me appeler Roni.”

“Ahm, oui?” the brunet said unsure. Wow, he really wished he didn’t sleep through French class in college. The girl giggled at him. “It’s okay, we don’t have to speak French. My name is Veronica, but you can call me Roni.”

“H-hey, I’m Dipper... Sorry about that,” he replied stuttering, scratching the back of his neck and smiling widely.

“You are adorable!  Are you from around here?”

“Erm, my home is kind of far, I guess? It’s not too far, it’s just slightly... distant?”

Veronica chuckled at the lad’s nervousness and gave him another smile, to her relief, made him smile back.

The two were lost in their own thoughts when a scream was heard from inside the luxurious house. Dipper jumped a little, startled.  Veronica didn’t react in a surprised manner; instead she sighed and rolled her eyes. The brunet wondered why the girl wasn’t as shocked, or if he really was that wimpy, but he didn’t dwell on it.

“Um, is that your house?” Dipper inquired.

“Yeah, I just moved in with my best friend, and he’s kind of… loud? I’m terribly sorry if he bothers you when you’re home.”

Dipper gave her a grin. “Don’t worry Roni, I know how it feels like to live with someone obnoxious.”

Veronica chuckled. “You have a sibling?”

At the mention of the word, Dipper’s face fell. Veronica saw the sudden change at the man’s expression, and felt guilty.

“Je suis désolé, Dipper… Touchy subject?”

The brunet just let out a sigh and managed a small sad smile. “It’s fine. I just miss Mabel, I guess.”

“Little sister?”

“I’m the older twin.”

Veronica squealed. “TWINS?”

Dipper laughed at the adorable lass and nodded. “Yeah. She’s currently at the city doing work and stuff, I’m here because of… reasons.”

“I completely respect your privacy, Dipper. I won’t push you about it.”

“Thank you.”

Another loud scream and a crash was heard from the house, interrupting the pair once more.

“I guess that’s my cue. It was nice meeting you, Dip. Can I call you that?”

“Sure, Roni. It was cool meeting you too.”

Veronica gave Dipper a last warm smile and headed to the house, while Dipper proceeded to go back home.

_She’s really pretty._

 -----

When Dipper returned home, it was already 8:30.

“Why does it feel like I’m forgetting something,” the brunet murmured to himself, unlocking the door. When he realized what had drifted away from his thoughts, he dropped his keys and slapped his forehead.

“Shit!”

 -----

“Where is that meatsack…”

Bill looked over at the other end of the woods, hoping for someone to come around and call for him. He’s been waiting an hour, and his patience was thinning.

Suddenly, he heard leaves faintly crunching beneath shoes, and distant screaming.

“Bill! Where are you?!”

The demon rolled his eyes and smirked when he heard the familiar shout.

“Finally.”

“Bill?! Answer me!”

“OVER HERE PINE TREE!” he yelled out. The footsteps started to head towards his direction, and it was relieving to finally see the brunet rush towards him with squinted eyes and a distressed look on his face. For Bill, at least.

“Bill?” Dipper reached out to touch his face to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating, which he did. Bill smiled fondly at the rather uneasy man that was poking his cheek.

_Stop being fucking adorable, you idiot._

“The one and only, Pine Tree. What took you so long?” The blonde asked, grabbing Dipper’s hand to stop poking him. The brunet looked down and immediately turned red.

“Erm, well, I met this girl today…”

Out of nowhere, an unsettling feeling took over Bill’s heart and mind. His eyebrows furrowed at the blabbering lad in front of him who was talking about some insignificant person in his life, and he didn’t like the feeling of his Pine Tree developing an interest for someone else.

“Look meatsack, I would love to listen to you drone on about this irrelevant lady you met an hour ago, but don’t you think my surprise had been waiting long enough?”

Dipper abruptly stopped talking and diverted his eyes from Bill’s. He looked down and somewhat nodded, kind of irked at how the blonde was acting.

“Sure. Sorry to keep you waiting. What have you got, anyway?”

Bill ignored his indifference, and dragged the brunet by the hand to a clearing. It took about 5 minutes, and when they reached it, Dipper instantly felt himself go soft and wanted to apologize for being rude right there.

~

In the middle of the clearing, was a campfire with a tent nearby. As the two walked closer, Dipper noticed petals of red roses scattered near the tent, forming a huge heart. As things looked like they couldn’t get any better, they did.

“Pine Tree, would you be a dear and step inside that heart for a bit? This isn’t half the surprise,” Bill winked, leading the stunned brunet to the heart of roses, and pressing his lips to Dipper’s hand before letting it go to fetch something from inside the tent.

Dipper was glued to his place. He was confused, speechless, annoyed, and shocked all at the same time. Confused, because what was happening?; Speechless, he couldn’t imagine someone as cold as Bill do something as heart-warming; Annoyed, at himself for taking so long; and shocked, because well, he hasn’t experienced something like this before.

Bill came out of the tent holding a bouquet of varying flowers in one hand, and a beautifully and carefully designed caramel cake shaped like a heart with the words, “Happy Valentine’s, My Sweet,” written in red frosting on top. There was a little Pine tree after the words, and Bill was proud he was able to tell the guy at the cakes shop to add it there. Bill was wearing a white button down with a yellow diamond sleeveless sweater, along with black pants and sneakers. (He once asked what Dipper would make a guy look 100x attractive, and used that information.) He had a small bashful smile on his face while presenting the gifts, and Dipper couldn’t say anything.

“Happy-sort-of-Valentines, Dipper Pines. I have absolutely no idea how you humans do this because I can feel this weird sensation in my heart, but I’ll do it anyway. I’m sorry this is late, but I thought you deserved it, since I’ve been kind of a nuisance at home.”

The brunet in the heart of roses was absolutely, positively about to burst out in tears, and he knew he had nothing to do about it. He fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands, and sobbed his extremely touched heart out.

Bill’s eyes widened at the sudden action, and ran to the tent to place the flowers and cake down carefully as to not damage them, and back to Dipper as quickly as he could. He bent down and rubbed the brunet’s back in a soothing manner.

“Pine Tree? Are you okay? What’s happening?” Bill said in a soft voice, learning not to raise it when Dipper had one of his ‘sessions’. He learns.

“Hey, shush now, what’s wrong? Are you disappointed in my gift? I’m sorry it’s late.”

Dipper struggled to tell him that he was absolutely ecstatic, and deeply moved about everything he has done for him. He wanted to thank him and tell him he was extremely grateful for even going through the trouble of getting everything prepared for him.

Bill let out a fond chuckle and embraced the now whimpering brunet.

“You’re welcome, Pine Tree. How’s about we devour that delicious cake now? You did mention it was your favourite type of sweet.”

Dipper tried his best to control himself, and sniffled, looking at Bill with the biggest grateful puppy dog eyes. The demon smiled at the adorable man and wiped the tears that stained his cheeks.

“Let’s go, yeah?“

Bill helped Dipper to his feet and held his hand to lead him to the tent. As the two trudged over to the sweet call of dessert before anything, the brunet couldn’t help but take the chance.

“Hey, Bill?”

“Hm?”

 

“I just want to let you know you’re definitely sweeter than caramel.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_An iris, our friendship means so much to me_

_A pink azalea, I want you to take care of yourself for me_

_A white camellia, you’re so adorable_

_A red camellia, you are a flame in my heart_

_A pink camellia, I long for you_

_A red carnation, my heart aches for you_

_Purple hyacinths, I’m sorry for everything, please forgive me_

_And of course, a single red rose in bloom…_

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

"These flowers are all so beautiful, thank you so much!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as you have realized by now, i can't keep promises =w= i do hope you've enjoyed this chapter with me being energized by caffeine once more uwu i'll be updating every friday now, and i swear i won't disappoint y'all :3


	8. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “…I want you to know that you’re special just the way you are. You’re one of a kind, and you don’t have to do anything to change the way you look. I like you this way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (OHMYGOSH I FINALLY UPDATED)  
> I know I have a lot to explain, I'll do it later ;u; meanwhile, enjoy this chapter~

“Mabel, this is really nice of you and all, but you don’t have to do this.”

Dipper sighed at his sister. He had tried to call her to catch up and talk about how she was doing, and thankfully, she wasn’t too busy to let her assistant answer the phone for her. The twins missed each other badly, and the brunet tried his hardest not to cry when he heard his sister’s voice on the other end. Mabel had suggested to go on a shopping spree at the mall tomorrow with him, but Dipper didn’t like the idea of her spending so much on him.

“Don’t you want to see me?” Mabel replied, sounding disappointed.

“No, no, of course I do! I didn’t mean it like that! I just know how busy you are and I don’t want you to have trouble with your work because of me,” Dipper spat out nervously, almost choking out a sob when he heard the brunette’s tone drop.

“Dipper, you’re my family,” Mabel stated. “You’re way more important than the business I have to take care of.”

“Mabel, don’t-“

“Come on now. Don’t you think we’ve been apart for too long? I really miss you, and you know how I felt when we were little; about not being close anymore when we get older, right? Besides, I feel like you need to take a break from your lover.”

Dipper gasped at the last word, and started blushing profusely.

“I-it’s nothing like that-!“

Mabel cut him off. “Hehe, sorry bro-bro, but you know I won’t be taking no for an answer.”

The brunet sighed in defeat. He was in no mood to argue any further, and just gave in. “Alright, fine. I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

His mood instantly lifted when he heard the woman at the other line squeal like a teenage girl.

“Yes, finally! I’ll be sending a private vehicle right over, take note that it’s gonna be the black Ferrari you like, and your chauffeur is gonna be Danny!” Mabel yelled. Dipper had to hold the phone a foot away to avoid going deaf in one ear, but he understood.

“Do you really have to be specific with what car you’re going to be sending over? And the name of your driver?” the brunet chuckled.

“Hush now Dipper, you know how I am! I’ll see you tomorrow! Bye!”

“Bye, take care.”

Dipper smiled to himself as he imagined his sister getting all jumpy at her office and being all cheery to all her employees. She was still the unstoppable ray of sunshine she was when they were younger, and Dipper loved that about her. He couldn’t help but make himself both sad and happy at the realization of not seeing her for a month already, and getting to see her tomorrow. As he lounged on the couch with an unreadable expression on his face, he heard Bill scream in horror very loudly from the upstairs bathroom.

“OH MY GOD!”

Dipper flinched and instantly got on his feet. He scurried up to the stairs and barged into the bathroom without permission.

“WHAT HAPPENED?” Dipper yelled out, seeing Bill clawing at his cheeks very violently in front of the mirror, breathing heavily. His face was slowly turning red at the severe scratching he was doing, and the brunet made a move to grab the demon’s hands to force him to stop.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Dipper screamed. The blonde growled and struggled to break free from the man’s grasp, but amazingly, the brunet was too strong for him. He did everything in his power to make Dipper release him, clenching his fists to increase his power; yet all his efforts were in vain, and he failed. His head dropped, and he tried to contain himself.

“Let go of me!” Bill whined desperately, almost in tears. He didn’t want Pine Tree to see him like this, and was most definitely not ready to break down in front of him. He felt the hotness on his face from being too harsh, and the fact that he was freaking out about something absolutely ridiculous wasn’t helping.

“What are you doing to yourself? Have you forgotten about our first-“

“I HAVEN’T FORGOTTEN,” the demon interrupted, making Dipper even more stressed. He sighed frustratingly and tried to calm the blonde down by lowering his voice.

“You remember, right?” the brunet said softly. “Then why are you doing this to yourself?”

At this point, Bill still has his head down and was about to burst into tears. He stopped struggling, and got down on his knees, dragging the brunet with him. Dipper kept his grip tight, and the man about to sob unballed his fists.

“Look at me,” Dipper told him. “Please.”

Bill didn’t say a word. He quietly shook his head, and Dipper sighed once more. “Why not?”

Without warning, the blonde let out a small whimper. He felt tears sting from the corner of his eyes, but refused to let them fall.

“Bill, what has gotten into you?”

…..

After a few minutes of silence, Dipper let go of the demon’s hands. Bill proceeded to hide his face in his palms, and let out a humourless laugh.

“Pathetic, am I not? I only wanted to fix this mess of a blonde fringe I have, but instead I noticed something much worse,” he spoke faintly.

“Which is?”

The blonde sighed reluctantly. He felt his heart beat a million times per second, and he didn’t like the feeling of it. Especially since the person he cared the most about was there to see him in his most vulnerable state.

“Hideous, tiny dots splattered across my face.”

Dipper didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the situation. “You mean your pores?”

The demon looked up to him with red, puffy eyes, and an unamused smirk upon his lips.

“No. Here.” Bill pointed at the small, light spots speckled on his cheeks and on the bridge of his nose. The brunet was surprised that he hadn’t noticed them before; he inhaled sharply and his eyes widened.

“Woah…”

Dipper reached out to brush the blonde’s cheek, but Bill swatted his hand away.

“Don’t! I might infect you.”

“They aren’t dangerous, Bill,” Dipper chuckled, reaching out once more and Bill didn’t try to stop him. He closed his eyes when he felt Pine Tree’s hand on his cheek, and shivered slightly when the brunet stroked the area where he had clawed at so violently.

“Then… what are they?” the blonde asked weakly. He opened his eyes to a half-smiling brunet admiring the flaws on his cheeks.

_Why the hell is he so fond of them? It’s so unflattering._

“They’re called freckles. Little brown spots caused by the sun,” Dipper explained. He stood up and helped Bill get up from sitting on the cold bathroom tiles; which Bill was grateful for. He immediately caught his reflection in the mirror, and boy was he upset. Long, red gashes on both sides of his face caused him to cringe at himself. Dipper narrowed his eyes at the man who observed his reflection at the mirror with disgust, and couldn’t help but feel bad for him.

“They actually kind of suit you,” Dipper commented, trying to cheer Bill up. “The freckles, I mean.”

“Is this what I get for being bad?” the demon cut him off.

_You mean evil?_

“Pine tree, you aren’t helping,” Bill replied. Usually he’d be more than amused whenever he tried to read Dipper’s thoughts, but right now, he was pretty irked.

“Hey! No mindreading!”

“I can’t help it. Do I really deserve to be hideous? I know I was a pretty relentless bastard from the start, but I’m trying to change! It’s why I even asked you to teach me about a powerful emotion that supposedly changes people.”

Dipper’s breath hitched at the last sentence. He didn’t mean to make the blonde feel worse than he already did, and he immediately regretted thinking about that.

“I’m sorry, forget about it,” he said, pulling Bill into a warm embrace. The taller man hesitated at first, but he eventually buried his face into the crook of Dipper’s neck, and sighed. He inhaled and detected a faint scent of raspberries on the brunet’s skin, making him smile slightly at the precious lad.

“We’re gonna be having our next lesson tomorrow, okay?” Dipper whispered, feeling the blonde nod at his words.

 -----

“Psst. Pine Tree.”

Bill was softly poking Dipper’s cheek in an attempt to wake him without annoying him too much. The sleeping lad gave no response. At this point, the person outside the front door was already becoming a bit impatient.

“Mister Pines? Are you there?” the man called out. Bill was startled and almost hit Dipper’s eye with his finger, but he immediately drew his hand back.

_Who the hell is this guy, anyway?_

The demon got out of bed, careful not to make any sudden movements that may bother his companion. He ruffled the brunet’s hair gently, and whispered, “I’ll be right back.”

Bill quietly tiptoed his way out of the room, and closed the door cautiously. He then proceeded to march up the front door and deal with the man that’s been knocking obnoxiously for the past hour. He was seriously heated when he finally saw the guy face to face, and he raised an eyebrow when he saw that he was dressed in a strangely elegant suit, with a black fancy-looking car parked nearby.

_Darn humans with their style choices._

“Oh! Good morning, uhm, sir. May I ask where Mister Pines may be?” the dude asked, respectfully bowing when he greeted the more or less irritated blonde.

“And who wants to know?” Bill fired back, crossing his arms.

“Uh, I do?”

The demon gave a sarcastic chuckle. “Well, as you may know he’s currently in his room sleeping blissfully, but I don’t think he can get enough rest with you making such a ruckus here.”

“Oh, I’m terribly sorry-“

“Damn right you should be. Pine Tree needs his rest, you know? He’s still kind of wimpy even though he’s gotten older, and I don’t want him getting too tired during the day. You get?”

“Yes, I-“

“Who are you, anyway?” Bill cut him off, not really caring whether or not he was being rude. The man adjusted his suit and coughed awkwardly.

“My name is Daniel, sir. I have been sent by Mabel-, er, Ms. Pines to pick up her brother so that they may spend the day to go shopping at the mall together.”

_Jeez bud, you need to lighten up._

“Need I inform you that it’s 7 in the fucking morning, and I haven’t got coffee in my system yet, so I can be as grumpy as I want,” the demon retaliated. The man’s eyes widened at the blonde’s statement, which made Bill smirk in amusement. He casually leaned on the door to appear more intimidating, arms still crossed.

_Mortals._

“Uhm, did you just…”

“Read your mind? I don’t know, did you say anything that might have been the cause for my response?” Bill’s slit pupils narrowed at Daniel; making it seem like his golden eyes were piercing right through his very being.

“Uh… Did I?”

At this point, Bill wanted nothing more but to slam the door on him and get back to sleep or make coffee. He just glared at the confused human in front of him, and his patience was thinning by the second.

…

After what seemed like an eternity of awkward silence and leering, the demon spoke up.

“Look, I’ll go ahead and try to wake him up, but if he’s going to be groggy as hell all day, I’m going to tell his sister that you made him rise too early in the morning and you tired him out.”

“Um…”

Bill uncrossed his arms and stretched a hand out. “Do we have a deal?”

He was seriously disappointed when he didn’t see the familiar blaze of blue flames flicker on his hand when he extended his arm out, and he sighed.  Meanwhile, Daniel gave him a perplexed stare, and shook his hand dubiously.

“Alright. Come in and wait on the couch.”

The blonde let the slightly terrified guy in, and watched as he took a seat on the sofa uneasily. He scoffed at the action, and turned on his heel to go to his and Dipper’s room.

 _“Am I allowed to call it his and mine? Our room?”_ Bill thought to himself. He shook his head to avoid thinking up of the most ridiculous things again, and focused on the task at hand. With one hand on the handle and the other hand balled up, he knocked carefully on the dark wooden door, and called out for Dipper.

“Pine Tree? You awake yet?”

Bill heard a crash come from inside, making him turn the doorknob in a heartbeat and barge into the room, expecting the worst and ready to fix whatever has been knocked over. Or something. That wasn’t the case, of course.

“Oh, hey. Good morning,” Dipper greeted nonchalantly, averting his eyes from the window. He was sitting on the bed with the duvet covering his lower half, looking like he had just woken up. His brown hair was sticking out in different directions, eyes half-lidded and shirt looking slightly wrinkled. He looked so delicate; the white rays of sunlight that passed through the windows illuminated his face, making him look ethereal.

“Morning…”

Bill was stunned at the sight of the brunet looking so tender in the morning light. He let go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding, and took a few moments to get back into the situation.

“Are you okay? I thought heard a crash in here.” He looked around and was a bit puzzled to see everything perfectly fine.

“Oh, that came from outside. A huge branch just snapped off a tree, and it hit a rock. Woke me up, then you came in.”

“Oh. Makes sense, I guess.” Dipper gave him a small smile and yawned. Bill didn’t know what the hell was happening with his heart, and whether it was a good or a bad thing. Either way, he loved watching the angelic beaut take long, calm breaths with closed eyes, slowly letting himself sink back into reality.

“Some guy is here saying that he was sent by Shooting Star,” Bill finally spoke, after managing to divert his attention from the gorgeous view. The brunet rubbed his eyes and yawned once more, not aware of what he was doing to the blonde’s feelings.

“Oh yeah. Mabel and I were supposed to go shopping today, and she said she sent her driver over to come pick me up…

_So it’s true._

…I hope you weren’t impolite with him. Danny’s a nice guy.”

Bill scratched the back of his neck and uttered a somewhat nervous chuckle. “Aha, well, he’s waiting for you in the living room. I’m gonna go brew some coffee for us, okay? See ya!”

He then rushed to the kitchen without looking back, not wanting to lie to Dipper first thing in the morning. He felt a heavy weight on his shoulders, and he didn’t like the feeling one bit.

_Is this what humans call guilt? Sure don’t like this._

\-----

“Huh. Wonder what’s up with him.”

Dipper kicked the sheets off him and stretched his limbs. He got up and immediately fixed the bed, feeling rather sluggish. Once he finished, he got out to see an uncomfortable man on the couch, wearing a ridiculously polished outfit, tapping his foot restlessly against the hardwood floor. The brunet studied him at first, before going over to him and giving him his hand.

“Hey Danny! It’s nice to see you again,” Dipper said, smiling warmly and helping him get up from the sofa. Daniel shook his hand firmly and smiled back awkwardly.

“Good morning, Mr. Pines. It’s nice to see you again, as well.”

“Danny, please. Call me Dipper. And loosen up, will ya?” the brunet laughed. Daniel let out a small chuckle, and fixed his jacket.

“Guess I’ve been working for too long and accidentally got a stick up my ass, huh?”

Dipper grinned at the man, happy that he was still the cool friend he knew. As they conversed, Dipper swore that he had felt two eyes on his back. He looked behind him and saw Bill peeking from the kitchen, obviously bothered by the company.

“I believe you’ve met my very… _humorous_ roommate?” Dipper inquired, sending Bill a wink before turning back to Daniel. His friend let out a tense chuckle before shrugging anxiously.

“Ahaha, I believe I have. Erm, your friend sure cares about you a lot.”

“Hm? Why do you say so?”

_Well, he is sweet and kind, but he’s a bit of an asshole sometimes.  Nevertheless. He’s got a good heart._

“Never mind that. They do say once you start living with someone, you guys start becoming more protective of each other.”

“That’s true,” the brunet muttered, feeling himself blush a little. “Hey, I’m gonna go take a quick shower, why don’t you and Bill talk over a drink? I’ll be quick.”

Daniel nodded and they both headed to the kitchen. Bill was seen sitting on the counter, swinging his dangling legs all childlike and waiting for the coffee to brew. Dipper snickered at him before excusing himself to the bathroom.

“Hey,” Daniel started. “I-“

“Don’t. I’m not interested with talking to anyone right now.”

 -----

“DIPPER!”

Mabel ran over to her twin with open arms, embracing him tightly once they met. Dipper was on the brink of bursting into tears, but he refused to appear vulnerable at such a public place.

“Mabel! I missed you!”

“I missed you too, Dip! So much.”

The siblings laughed out of joy and took a moment to enjoy each other’s presence. Mabel had certainly grown even taller, and she wasn’t even in heels. Despite the height, she didn’t look like she was a day over 20. The outfit she was wearing made Dipper feel a little bit nostalgic. She never really grew out of her sweater-loving phase, although her style had developed throughout the years. As much as she loved very colorful articles of clothing when she was younger, she grew to admire the neutral pieces as well.

The brunette wore a lilac sweater along with white eyelet shorts. Her converse matched her top, and she wasn’t wearing any accessories except for her signature ring and diamond stud earrings. Her hair was down, and she wore little makeup. She also had a white sling bag to match with her shorts. She didn’t look like the CEO of a company at all. She looked like herself, making is brother smile at how bold her choices of style can be.

“I like your outfit today,” Dipper commented. “Aren’t you worried about what others might say, though?”

“Dipper, you of all the people should know that I don’t give a frick about what other people may think of me. Why should I let their opinion bother me, right? Also, I feel comfy in these! Beats wearing heels all day.”

The lad smiled at his sister’s words. “You’re awesome. “

“I know, hehe. You’re really cool too, bro! Now, let’s go! We’ve got the whole day to catch up!”

 -----

The two spent the whole day roaming around the mall, talking while browsing in different stores to shop in. It was clear that Mabel strictly forbade Dipper from spending his own money, because whenever he made an attempt to reach for his wallet, she smacks his hand away.

“I told you no, remember? I’m treating you.”

Dipper sighed and gave his sister a small smile. “You really don’t have to. But I know how stubborn you are, so thank you.”

“It’s nothing, really! I’m just glad we finally have some time together.”

Mabel was actually quite popular around because of her company’s shares with most of the mall’s stores. As a result, she was almost immediately attended to whenever she walked into a shop, with employees greeting her enthusiastically and constantly asking for what she was looking for. As for the brunet, he couldn’t stand people continually questioning him, and he was lucky Mabel was kind and politely requested them to leave her alone to browse.

“Wow sis, you sure are famous,” Dipper joked, causing his twin to roll her eyes at him.

“It feels nice to be taken care of when I’m struggling to find what I need, but it gets pretty bothersome after a while.”

~~~

After many hours of strolling and shopping and catching up, the twins were exhausted. The brunette had already called up some of her bodyguards to help with her shopping bags, and Dipper was embarrassed because Mabel didn’t allow him to carry anything.

“You want anything else, Dip?” Mabel asked, smiling at her brother. She loved spoiling people that she loved dearly, and Dipper was no exception. The man shrugged and grinned at her happily. “I think I’ve got enough groceries to last for many weeks, and the clothes you bought for me are enough for a whole year, so I’m good.”

“Great! I’ll just tell my guys what to do, and we’ll have dinner.”

“Why do you have so many escorts around, by the way?” Dipper asked, slightly alarmed at the number of people that had come to carry the bags. Mabel was busy instructing her attendants, and was unable to hear what his brother said.

“Yes, yes, we have finished. Please take all of the bags Collins and Rogers are carrying to my car, and the ones Jacob and Steven have to the black one Daniel is in charge of. Also, kindly inform Edgar that I’ll be eating dinner with my brother, and that I’ll just text him when I’ll be going home.” Dipper didn’t know whether to feel impressed or intimidated at the way Mabel spoke, but he kept quiet.

“Understood, Ms. Pines,” one of the buff guys replied.

“Thank you Richard. You may go.” She nods at all of them and they bow slightly, then leave.

“All of them work for you?”

“Yup. They’re my most trusted guys,” Mabel winked. Dipper felt so small compared to his sister’s muscular guards, and he felt kind of sad. He crossed his arms and pouted.

“I’m manly too…” Dipper whispered to himself. The brunette overheard him and couldn’t help but giggle.

“ _Sureeeeee_ you are. Let’s grab dinner, I know a place that you’ll definitely love.”

 -----

“Bill, I’m back!”

Dipper shut the car door behind him, and made his way to the house. As he got closer the front door, he noticed that all of the lights inside were turned off, and there was no sign of his friend anywhere. He raised an eyebrow, and just shrugged it off, thinking that he was probably already fast asleep.

“Weird.” He got his keys and unlocked the latch. Opening the door, there was a slight creaking sound that was emitted, and Dipper was uncomfortable. He stepped in and promptly switched the lights on, still not finding anyone inside. He sighed and looked back to Daniel, who was outside and carrying all the groceries Mabel had bought for her brother.

“Where should I put this?” Daniel yelled out, walking slowly because of the weight of the bags pulling him down. He didn’t seem like he was struggling, though, and Dipper had his mind set on something else.

“Oh yeah, just place them on the kitchen counter, and please put all of the other bags on the sofa over there. Sorry I won’t be able to help you.”

“It’s fine, I understand. I wasn’t sent to have you carry your stuff by yourself,” Daniel chuckled. The brunet smiled back, and excused himself to go find his missing roommate.

“Bill, where are you?” Dipper called out. He made his way up the stairs and looked into the hallway.

“Bill?”

He knocked on the door of every room upstairs, but nobody replied. Going down, he found Daniel already putting the final bags down, and he grins.

“Thanks for everything, Danny.”

“Anytime, Dip. I need to head back now, goodnight.”

Dipper accompanied him to the front door, and said their goodbyes. As soon as the roar of the engine outside died down, the tired man collapsed on the couch. Everything was still, and it let the lad gather all his thoughts and relax for a few moments. He breathed out a contented sigh, and smiled.

“Thanks, Mabel. You’re the best,” he whispered to himself.

\-----

The silence was disrupted by what sounded like a suppressed whine, and this got Dipper to his feet. He strode to his room and knocked lightly before turning the knob and entering.

“Bill…?”

The lights were shut, but the lad could see the blonde on his bed stir uncomfortably. He looked like he was having a bad dream, with a distressed expression sprawled across his face. Dipper sighed and walked over to him, his eyebrows furrowing.

“Bill.. Wake up…”

He shook the sleeping demon gently, so as to not upset him any further.

“Ngh…”

“Hey now.. It’s alright..”

Bill kept on tossing and turning restlessly, and Dipper was already getting worried.

“N..n-ngh..”

“Shhh. I’m here.. Please wake up…”

…

After a few moments, the demon abruptly opened his eyes, his breath hitching at the same time. Dipper was a bit startled, but he was relieved to be able to get him out of something unpleasant. Bill took a few seconds to blink, then he turned to see Pine Tree sitting on the edge of the bed next to him. He avoided eye contact and turned away from the man’s gaze, burying his face into the sheets.

“Welcome home,” Bill muttered, scooting over to the side to let Dipper have some room to lie down on, his back facing the lad. The brunet didn’t though, and just sat closer to him, taking off his shoes and socks before putting his feet on the cushion.

“What’s wrong?”

The blonde sighed and shook his head. “Did you have fun earlier? Shooting star must have really missed you. Did you get me anything? Heh.”

Dipper rolled his eyes and placed a hand on Bill’s exposed shoulder. The older man shivered at the cold, yet warm touch, and sighed even louder.

“I know what you’re trying to do, and I don’t like it.”

Bill just shrugged. “Let’s just go to sleep, please. I’m tired, and I can sense that you may fall asleep at any given moment.”

The brunet tsked, and lied down beside him. He turned to the side to face the blonde’s back, and started drawing patterns on it with the tip of his finger.

“You know… I can still tell you about our second lesson before I black out and sleep until noon tomorrow,” he chuckled, yawning immediately right after. This made Bill’s heart skip a beat, and he wanted so badly to turn around and look at his Pine Tree in the eye with burning curiosity in his. Yet, he didn’t want to seem eager, and decided to play it cool.

“Mhm,” he simply hummed out.

“Lesson number two, although it may be similar to the first, it isn’t. Respect yourself.”

“…”

“The first thing I mentioned was that you have to learn to love yourself, right?”

“Well, yeah. But isn’t respect automatically included in love?”

Dipper chuckled before yawning. “That’s the beauty of it, I guess. It doesn’t.”

“This is slightly confusing, Pine Tree…” the blonde whispered.

“Let me explain then.”

“If you look up the meaning of love, it will tell you that it is a variety of different emotions, states or attitudes one may feel or go through. It’s true. They can range from mutual affections, like people in relationships, or something like personal pleasure, like saying you love something you’ve eaten.”

“…How do you connect that with the lesson?”

“Let’s focus on the first thing I said. A variety of different attitudes and emotions and such. These feelings don’t only apply between two people. This involves self perception. Someone can love themselves for being able to be good at doing something they’re passionate about, but completely hate the way they look. It also happens in vice versa.”

_Interesting…_

“Some people may go through different changes just to get the look they want. They may alter their clothing style, haircut, and the most extreme ones are ones who undergo surgery. I’m not going to call people out on it in real life, because maybe it makes them happy. But as for you…”

“…?”

“…I want you to know that you’re special just the way you are. You’re one of a kind, and you don’t have to do anything to change the way you look. I like you this way.”

Dipper yawned and proceeded to wrap his arms around Bill’s torso, burying his face on his back.

“Lesson two, Bill. Accept yourself fully and take care of what you’ve been given with.”

The demon was still taking in the brunet’s words when he felt him already snoring lightly behind him. He smiled and shook his head.

_Maybe this was your way of saying you appreciate me._

Bill turned around slowly to avoid disturbing Dipper, and pulled his arms lightly to move him closer. He stroked the tired man’s cheeks, and placed a small kiss on his nose.

 

“Thank you, Pine Tree.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> before anything else, i'd just like to thank you all for reaching 100+ kudos! your comments are also very much appreciated, thank you all so much ;u;
> 
> on my update troubles, i'll be honest. i actually only have finished half the chapters on friday itself, and i get too tired to be able to continue writing ;; yes, i am a lazy butt and i am aware of that :C
> 
> even though i haven't been able to update like i promised, i wont stop writing :) this fic is something im actually proud of for once, and i dont want all my efforts from those 1am writing sessions and multiple cups of coffee to go to waste. i'll try my best to stick to the schedule, and i hope you all enjoyed~ (this is the longest chapter so far o^o)
> 
> again, thank you so much! uwu


	9. Depth of Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here I am. A demon, its perception of existence and reality be changed because of a void mental state some petty humans experience throughout their pathetic mortal days. Quite amusing, really.

“Lovely house you’ve got.”

Veronica smiled at her guest. “Why, thank you! We do try to make our home livable.”

Dipper chuckled.

When he woke up that morning to find his housemate gone yet again, he groaned in despair. It sucked to be always alone. He shuffled over to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water. While drinking, his eyes dart across the room to see something shining on the dining table. He puts his glass down and goes over to examine it. There was a piece of pink paper with familiar handwriting attached on the shiny piece.

Gone out as usual, here’s a little something for when I’m too overwhelming.  
-Bill.

Note’s gotten short and serious, huh? Strange.

The brunet held up the glistening item, and found that it was a silver necklace with an odd, but beautiful pendant. It was pastel blue and in the shape of a crystal. Dipper’s eyes widened and stared at it for a few moments.

How…?

The colour of the gem reminded him of something else that he found gorgeous. He didn’t wait another second; he took a quick shower and made a mess of his closet, trying to find something that didn’t seem like he just picked it up from the floor and tossed it on. Eventually settling for a red pullover and his usual denim pants, he slipped on his shoes and stared at the necklace once more.

It’s really nice, but… where could he have gotten this?

He separated the clasps and wrapped it around his neck, a sudden feeling of calmness washing over him as he does. Sighing, he goes out and heads to town to meet the person who was on his mind.

…

“Please, take a seat. Are you comfortable? Would you like some coffee? Have you had breakfast? Hold on, I think I can cook something up in here…”

Dipper felt shy with the hospitality Veronica showed him. He wasn’t used to new people being kind to him, but it was a nice feeling.

“Thank you, Roni, I’m fine. And yes, a cup sounds good.”

The lass smiled and excused herself to the kitchen. Meanwhile, the brunet acknowledged his surroundings. His earlier compliment was a serious understatement.

The house was lovely alright. It was all tidied up and neat, with everything looking like they were in the right place. The living room, where Dipper was currently in, featured a black flat screen T.V. on the right wall, and a T.V. table stand that was filled with numerous collections of CD’s, most probably movies. The other walls were decorated with classy paintings, a bit too fancy for the lad’s taste. The sofa he was sitting on was surprisingly comfortable. It was leather and sectional, so Dipper found it quite hard not to lie down. There was a black glass and wood coffee table in the middle of the room, with a variety of magazines lying around. Finally, a small crystal chandelier was displayed elegantly on the ceiling.

“Wow.”

“You like it?” a female voice answered, causing Dipper to jump slightly in surprise.

“Oh, I’m sorry! Did I startle you?”

The brunet held a hand over his heart and chuckled nervously. “It’s okay, heh. I was always kind of a scaredy-cat anyway.”

The lass giggled and walked over to him. She held two white mugs; one was filled with the delectable beverage the lad had asked for, and the other had a red-violet liquid in it. It didn’t look too pleasant. Dipper gratefully accepted the coffee while he eyed the other drink suspiciously. Veronica took a seat from across him and noticed the look he was giving her refreshment.

“What’s wrong? Never seen cranberry juice before?” she chuckled. Dipper laughed along and took a sip from his mug. He closed his eyes briefly to relish the bitter taste of the drink, and gave out a satisfied hum right after.

“This is really good,” he remarked. Veronica smiled in reply and took a sip herself. The brunet saw how she slightly cringed after swallowing, and he tried his hardest not to snicker.

“Don’t you like coffee?” he asked.

“I do, it’s just that I already had 2 cups earlier.”

“Makes sense. It’s pretty good huh?”

She smiled fondly. “You’re cute.”

Dipper nearly choked.

“Ahem, uhm, aha... Yeah, um, sorry, thank you.”

It went silent for a few minutes because the brunet was blushing so hard and he didn’t want to embarrass himself or anything. Veronica liked how suddenly bashful her guest had gotten, and giggled once more. Looking him over, he seemed like an amiable lad; soft and pretty. Brown wavy hair, a bit disheveled. Lustrous hazel eyes, and thin pink lips; most likely because of the hot coffee. His cheeks were a deep shade of red, it made him look precious. Though he looked quite feminine, he was certainly attractive. She then noticed something that made her speak up, a curious glint in her eyes.

“Hm.. Quel beau collier. Where’d you get it?”

\-----

Veronica took a moment to take in the story Dipper had just told. It was unusually… riveting, if you ask her. She almost laughed at some parts of the narration, but the brunet was serious, so she just kept quiet and nodded when necessary.

“My, I just asked where you may have gotten that charming necklace, and you tell me the story of your housemate,” she chuckled. Dipper smiled, then scratched the back of his neck.

“Well, I did warn you that I talk too much. Sorry.”

“It’s okay, I was very intrigued.”

She took the two empty mugs sat on the coffee table. “I’m going to go ahead and wash these. Would you like to have lunch somewhere? Earlier I checked and I realized me and Erik haven’t actually shopped for groceries. Hehe, that lazy butt’s still asleep, too.”

Dipper smiled. She was such a sweet girl.

“Sure thing. That way, I also have the pleasure to show you around.”

“Great! Excuse me for a bit, then.”

He nodded and respired happily. The lad hadn’t talked about anything like that to anyone for a while, and it felt gratifying. He was pretty thankful he met someone that was genuinely kind and friendly, because he would’ve lost it staying at home all by himself all the damn time. Being alone does things to you, especially when you’re struggling with something people can never understand unless they have it.

“Hope that dork’s okay…” Dipper thought to himself. He couldn’t help but worry about him, especially since he’s like a child sometimes.

A crash from upstairs interrupted the brunet from the thoughts of his companion. Following that, there was a string of curses, and it caused Veronica to dash to the living room. She took two steps on the stairway and yelled out, “Are you okay?”

“Does it sound like it?” came the reply. The dark haired lass rolled her eyes and shot her guest an apologetic look, before hurrying upstairs to see what happened.

It didn’t take long before Veronica dragged down a flustered guy, still in pyjamas.

“Dip, this is Erik! Erik, this is Dipper!”

“Good morning Erik,” the brunet laughed, extending an arm. The man looked up from his feet and somewhat grinned, shaking his hand politely.

“Hey.”

“You alright?”

“Er, yeah…” He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he changed his mind.

“What happened up there?”

“…”

“Loser fell off the bed,” Veronica explained, causing Dipper to suddenly snort. The girl laughed and Erik looked down again, feeling even more embarrassed.

“Not used to the bed, maybe? Don’t worry man, I know moving to a new home can be a drag at times, but you’ll eventually get used to it,” Dipper assured. Erik gave him a sheepish smile.

“Thanks for understanding.”

He excused himself to go back up and ruffled Roni’s hair before leaving.

“Welp, that’s my housemate. When can I meet yours?” she joked, fixing her hair and rolling up the sleeves of her sweater.

“Soon enough,” Dipper chuckled. “Ready to go?”

\-----

Finding himself under the shade of his favorite tree once more, Bill stared out into the horizon, his head free from his thoughts. The sunrise was magnificent; streaks of distinct colours were sprawled across the sky like a lovely painting. White, feathery clouds were scattered all around, and they completed the scenery. The blond found himself half-smiling at the gorgeous sight. He’d been watching the same sunrise every day for quite some time now, and he knew to himself that he was never going to get tired of it. Looking around him, he decided to take notice of his beloved plant.

The tree never really went with the seasons. Never became stark, nor changed its colour. All throughout the months, its leaves stayed a brilliant gold shade, and its trunk a dark opulent brown. Bill loved how unchanging it was. In addition to that, the leaves were in his favourite colour. It was beautiful. He gave out a small sigh of content and patted the tree’s trunk.

_“I like you. Don’t ever change.”_

_He turned to look back at the skyline once more, appreciating the view before looking down on his hands. They were covered in numerous scars, but they were okay. Remembering Pine Tree’s words about them, his mind suddenly became filled with the thought of the charming man._

Dipper Pines. He never was a good secret keeper. He could always be so easily read, and it didn’t seem like he was trying to mask his emotions in any way, either. Always so open and direct. Bill smirked at the image of him constantly giving away what he was feeling unintentionally.

But.

Somehow, the brunet can also be mysterious every now and then. Sure, he would probably spill too much information when he’s talking, but he keeps it brief.  You have to be really focused to notice that there’s something between the lines he isn’t saying out loud. The demon found this quite alluring, and his interest is always culminated whenever Pine Tree speaks.

“Damn,” Bill breathed out.

…

Humans come and go.

I’ve seen them all, Pine Tree. I’ve seen how their lives ended. I know how their hearts stop beating, their souls separate from their bodies. I’ve seen all the different ways their carcass be permanently discarded, and be forgotten in a number of decades. I’ve witnessed how it tore apart the so-called ‘family’ they were once with. Their hearts have slowed and quickened at different levels in different points in time, when the memory of their deceased beloved comes into mind. The ones who were most attached to them were the ones who were damaged the most.

It was fascinating, I’d tell you that. I did some research, and found out that every single reason behind their sadness was because of love.

Love. For someone who’s barely even half a century old, you sure know a lot about this emotion. Even though your folks left you, you’re still full of it.

Heck, you’ve been hurt millions of times, physically, emotionally, mentally. Your sanity has been questioned, and your trust has been broken so much that you’ve lost count of how many times your faith in others temporarily left. Let down by the same people over and over. Abandoned by the ones you’ve cared for the most for no reason. Yet here you are, spreading the love you’ve never gotten back like nobody’s business.

Why is that, Pine Tree? Yes, you did experience the same pain others have felt when their humans neglected them, but you’re not as pessimistic. You’ve had it worse compared to other people, but you were much stronger. You didn’t let this bring you down often.

You’re pretty rare. For the time I was around, nothing in the cosmos could have ever reduced my hunger for destruction. Nothing, absolutely nothing could’ve stopped me from getting joy from annihilating potential universes and lives. It used to be so pleasurable, giving me an overwhelming sense of power every time I successfully eradicated an insignificant entity.

But now… Here I am. A demon, its perception of existence and reality be changed because of a void mental state some petty humans experience throughout their pathetic mortal days. Quite amusing, really.

\-----

“Merci, Dipper!”

The two had spent the whole afternoon strolling around town after eating lunch in the diner. Dipper was pretty impressed when Veronica had already gotten herself familiar around the place. She was an intellectual woman. They talked about subjects that would bore Mabel to her death and put Erik to sleep in the mere mention of it. They were deeply engrossed in the topics, and they never felt more elated for having met each other.

“We’ll hang out soon, yeah?” Dipper asked, and the girl smiled from ear to ear.

“Of course! I had a lot of fun!”

“Cool! So, I have to head back now. Hope you have a good night.”

Veronica unlocked the gate in front of her, and waved to the brunet already walking the other direction.

…

Upon reaching home, Dipper was surprised that Bill was still away. He checked his room and saw the same mess from earlier this morning. The half-emptied glass of water still sat on the counter from where he left it. And the note was still slightly crumpled on the dining room table.

He sighed apathetically. Tidying his room and washing the cup, he placed the memo in the bottom drawer of his dresser, and pretty soon collapsed on his unmade bed.

God this is so boring.

Standing up, he felt an involuntary grumble in his stomach.

That’s my cue. What’s good to cook for dinner?

\-----

Bill ran as fast as he could to get back to the house at once. He was extremely miffed when he heard thunder roaring from the heavens when the sun went down, and he got up to his feet hastily. Although he wouldn’t care if he got drenched in rain again, he didn’t want to upset Pine Tree because of ignoring what he said.

“Bullshit,” he muttered under his breath, flipping the sky off when it emitted another loud clap of thunder.

Nearing home, he saw the house was brightly lit, like every room had its light on. It was ridiculous, the demon thought. As he got closer, it got more and more garish.

He scoffed when he finally entered and heard Dipper say something in a compelling tone. The rain had already started to make itself present, but the noise from outside wasn’t focused on.

 

We're like fireworks and symphonies exploding in the sky.

With you, I'm alive

Like all the missing pieces of my heart, they finally collide~

 

Bill was appalled. He quietly closed the door behind him and stealthily hid behind the wall by the entrance of the kitchen. Listening to the brunet’s words, his interest is once more peaked.

 

So stop time right here in the moonlight,

Cause I don't ever wanna close my eyes~

 

Why not? He peeped in the room and saw him preparing two plates with pasta and some kind of sauce with balls of meat.

 

Without you, I feel broke

Like I'm half of a whole

Without you, I've got no hand to hold

Without you, I feel torn

Like a sail in a storm

Without you, I’m just a sad song~

 

He heard the brunet laugh at himself, then turn to place the dishes on the table. Dipper looks up and sees Bill watching him from the other room, and he grinned.

“Welcome home,” he greeted warmly. “You came just in time.”

The blond looked at him and nodded curtly. His movements were nimble; he walked over to take his usual seat and stared down at his food. Grabbing the fork he stabs the spaghetti stoically, his mind wandering off to a different place. He rested his chin on his other hand and sighed inaudibly. Dipper comes over with two glasses and a large bottle filled with a dark-coloured liquid.

“It’s wine Mabel bought for me, said it went well with Bolognese.”

No response. Dipper sat down skeptically and raised an eyebrow.

“Something wrong?”

Bill glanced at him with narrowed eyes, the slits in his pupils becoming thinner. He briefly studies the brunet, and immediately senses slight irritation aimed towards him.

Obviously.

He does spot something else that nearly made him smile. Nearly.

“You wore it,” he muttered, without a hint of emotion to be detected from his tone. He stops piercing the poor pasta and his attention is aimed at the sparkling gem that hung on the brunet’s neck.

“Oh yeah! Um, thank you for this, I really like it,” Dipper blurted out, a wide smile breaking out. The side of Bill’s mouth curls to an extent, but he drops it promptly.

“Where’d you get it?”

“You don’t have to know.”

It got a bit awkward for a few seconds, and Dipper cleared his throat.

“So, how was your day?” he inquired.

“…..”

“…Well, we need to communicate to be able to understand each other better, don’t we? Okay, I’ll go first.”

“…”

“…”

“So you remember Veronica?”

“…”

“I visited her when I found out you weren’t around-”

“Pine Tree, do you love me?”

The question got the words stuck in Dipper’s throat, and he knew right there that it was pretty much a bad time to answer anything. He looked down and sighed, twirling his fork around the spaghetti to start eating.

“I know you heard me.”

He sees the blonde’s head lift up, and felt his eyes burning through his skull. He avoids this and continues dining, slightly provoked.

“Well?”

Dipper swallowed hard. He poured himself some wine and swiftly drinks it before answering.

“I care.”

“Do you love me?”

“I care.”

“Pine Tree, that doesn’t answer-“

“I care.”

“…”

“Why do you ask?”

This time, the demon let out a snicker. “Are you serious?”

“Does it sound like I’m kidding? Why are you asking me this?”

“Besides the fact that I have been your mortal enemy for quite some time, almost destroying the earth and the universe; basically being the biggest arse you’ll meet, why do you care?” his voice suddenly grew louder with every word.

“…”

“Why do you shelter me, feed me, and clothe me like I’m somebody to be cared for? I’m an incessant murderer, right? Everybody’s worst nightmare? Why aren’t I locked up like the others?”

“…”

“Huh? Why am I here in the hands of somebody who’s obviously too blind to see that he’s protecting and tending to an unwavering demon? Why aren’t I rotting or being treated horribly like I’m supposed to?”

The patter of the rain against the roof got clamorous, and the roars of the thunder came more frequently and deafening. Dipper kept his cool.

“ANSWER ME!”

“…”

“WHY AREN’T YOU SCARED? WHY AREN’T YOU AFRAID THAT I MIGHT HURT OR KILL YOU AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT?”

“…”

“WHY?!”

“…”

Bill stood up from his seat abruptly, knocking the chair down in full force as he did. His eyes were red with white pupils, and was already glistening due to the tears he refused to let fall. By the time this happened, Dipper had finished his food, and focused his eyes on the upset man’s.

“HUH? WHY DIDN’T YOU HAVE ME LOCKED UP WHEN YOU HAVE THE CHANCE?”

“…”

“WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU WASTE SO MUCH VALUABLE TIME AND RESOURCES ON A HOSTILE CREATURE LIKE ME? WHY DO YOU ALWAYS TRY TO PUT ME FIRST INSTEAD OF PRIORITIZING YOUR OWN DAMN SELF?”

“…”

“WHY DID YOU GIVE ME A SECOND CHANCE AT REDEEMING MYSELF? WHY DID YOU TRUST ME WHEN I SAID I WANTED TO CHANGE FOR THE BETTER AND LEARN A TEMPORARY MENTAL STATE FROM YOU?”

“…”

“WHY DID YOU AGREE?”

“…”

“WHY DO YOU CARE SO MUCH ABOUT HOW I FEEL, I AM, AND I WANT? WHY DON’T YOU EVER ASK ME TO DO ANYTHING FOR YOU? WHY ARE YOU SO SELFLESS TO SOMEBODY WHO USED TO WANT NOTHING MORE BUT TO HAVE YOU DEAD?”

“…”

“GOD DAMN IT PINES, ANSWER ME!”

“…”

Bill kept firing questions he so desperately wanted answers from, but didn’t give Dipper even a second to reply to. He gripped the sides of the table with so much force that his knuckles were starting to turn white, and his face was flushed red from anger, confusion, and a whole other lot of emotions he didn’t give jack shit about. The brunet kept a straight face, not letting his fear nor anger get the best of him.

After a whole hour of screaming, the loud chatter of water droplets against the roof and the booming thunderclaps, the demon collapsed on the floor, his face in his hands. The weather had matched his mood perfectly, going from a heavy rainfall to a sparse drizzle. He heard the sound of wood scraping against the floor, then light footsteps heading to his direction. Two arms pull him into an embrace, and he lets the tears flow freely from his eyes in defeat.

“Shh. Calm down now.”

Bill sobs and feebly wraps his arms around Dipper in an attempt to hug him back. He inhaled his scent and clung on to him helplessly, his body already failing to properly hold him up.

“W-why… d-do you.. care…”

“Hush. Let’s go to the bedroom, okay?”

\-----

With a cleaned up dining area, Dipper lay beside an exhausted Bill, tracing patterns on his arms to help him relax more.

“You alright?” he whispered softly. The blond nodded his head, and buried his face into the man’s chest. The soft pullover he wore smelled like heaven. Bill sighed and smiled slightly.

“You haven’t answered my questions,” he mumbled. Dipper chuckled fondly at his reply.

“Mhm. You’ll eventually find them all out on your own.”

Bill groaned. “Why can’t I have them now?”

“Sometimes you have to figure things out by yourself, or you wouldn’t be able to grow as a person.”

Another grunt.

“Don’t worry,” the brunet cooed. “You’ll know when you know.”

“You humans are confusing.”

“Aren’t we all?”

Bill sighed and feels Dipper kiss the top of his head.

“If you don’t love me, why do you do that?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Because I care.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a year of rest ,, here's chapter 9! I'll definitely be updating every Saturday now~ for now, I hope you enjoyed this week's post~ uwu


	10. Conditions, Conditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He’s lucky he looks good,” Dipper mumbled under his breath. He picked up the flip flops and shook his head before following his companion to the ocean.

Spring.

Dipper and Bill have become accustomed to doing typical things couples always do. Hand holding, cuddling, chaste pecks, falling asleep beside each other, and many more.

 

“Shit.”

The brunet paced around his room, his hands behind his back and his mind adrift.

Their actions towards each other have been taking a toll on him for quite a while. Even though they had both agreed on a very specific rule Dipper had established, he felt it was very unfair for the other man. He was surprised that Bill hadn’t even bothered to question the compromise, and apparently, it was driving him insane.

Guilt, confusion, and fear were stirring inside him.

Why did he forbid Bill to feel the very emotion he was educating him?

Is it wrong to even stop him from perceiving something he didn’t understand?

Why is he hearing different voices softly whispering to him when nobody was around?

“Fuck!”

In a state of animosity, he snatched a pillow from the bed and chucked it across the room, not knowing that it had been aimed at the door, and hit someone right on the head just as it had opened.

In the split second of Bill turning the other way, Dipper sees his eyes widen when the pillow collided roughly with his face, making him stumble back, then fall to the floor with it. He looked up and raised an eyebrow at the brunet who had covered his mouth in shock as the scene unfolded.

“Oh my god, are you alright?”

Dipper rushed to his side and knelt down, cupping his cheeks and tilting his head side to side to see if something was wrong. Bill frowned when he felt his eyes sting a bit, but that was quickly replaced with an amused smirk.

“Getting a bit grumpy today, are we Pine Tree? Don’t worry, I’ve already brewed some coffee and cooked breakfast, I was just about to call you,” the blond spoke, chuckling a little when Dipper pouted and looked down.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to hit you…”

“Aw, relax, Pine Tree! That stuffy fluffy rectangular cushion wouldn’t hurt me one bit, no matter how hard you throw it.”

The brunet sighed and smiled. “I’m still sorry…”

“No time to feel down! Come on, I’ve cooked us an actual, edible meal! We can talk and stuff.”

\-----

“You don’t hate me, do you?”

Bill looked up from his plate and swallowed. He gave Dipper a weird look.

“Why should I?” he asked, shoving another piece of bacon in his mouth. He had researched about different kinds of breakfast foods that are both delicious and easy to cook the night before, since he was getting pretty sick of not eating in the morning. His companion was amazed that he hadn’t burned himself, or the food.

Dipper poked the French toast, not really in the mood to eat.

“Well, the deal we had…”

The blond chewed noisily and raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“It’s been bothering me…”

“You know Pine Tree,” Bill started, consuming the last bit of scrambled egg and taking a sip of coffee. “When I said we could talk and stuff, I actually wanted you to finish your sentences so that I may respond properly. That’s how conversations work, don’t they?”

Dipper chuckled, not minding that Bill was being unconsciously impolite.

“Sorry. My mind just keeps buzzing with all these thoughts and it’s kind of hard to form coherent statements right now.”

The demon shrugged.

“You haven’t even taken a bite. Aren’t you hungry? I promise I didn’t add any poison in your plate.”

The brunet smiled slightly. He felt bad that he wasn’t acknowledging Bill for his independence in cooking without much experience, yet somehow managing to present a meal appetizingly.

“Pine Tree?”

“Hm?”

“Are you alright?”

The question silenced him. He quirked his lips and sighed. “Dunno.”

Bill sighed and got up from his seat. He walked over to Dipper and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Cheer up! I already planned the whole week for us together! It can be pretty boring just being here in the house all day, right? We’ll get you out of that sulky mood, I promise.” He ruffled his hair and wrapped and arm around him. “No more moping around, okay? Hurry up and finish your food, I’ll go shower and dress.”

The brunet nodded and Bill jogged out the room, slightly addled, but excited.

Dipper wanted to smack himself for being so cheerless. He was just so stressed out about what he and Bill had agreed upon, it was driving him nuts. He knew it wasn’t good for him to be so worked up, but he couldn’t help it. Especially since last week, when Bill had his breakdown…

He already heard the blond close the door to the bathroom and turn the shower on, and he began to eat.

“I’ll deal with it later, I guess.”

\-----

Seated comfortably at the back seat, Bill kept glancing at the man beside him, who was fidgeting uneasily.

“Hey, Daniel? I’m really sorry about the last time,” the blond said. “I hope you’re not annoyed by the fact that you were sent by Mabel for us.”

The driver looked behind at him for a brief moment and smiled. “You can call me Danny.” He added, chuckling, “ And Mr. Pines, you may want to calm down for a bit. It’s kind of hard to drive when the car keeps bouncing up and down on a smooth road.”

“Sorry. I just feel bad for having to disturb Mabel in her work,” Dipper replied, resting his arm on his thigh to stop his leg from bouncing.

It wasn’t actually Dipper who had called Mabel up to send a driver because he needed a ride to somewhere, but he felt responsible for Bill.

“Where exactly are we going and you’ve made me pack a week’s worth of clothing?” the brunet asked, restless caused by the sudden rush of things, and the fact that Bill wouldn’t tell him where they were headed to.

“You’ll see! In about three hours,” Bill snickered, ruffling Dipper’s hair. “You didn’t forget anything, did you? Extra underwear? Towel? Toothbrush?”

Dipper blushed, but he responded lightheartedly, “If you must know, I am very organized when it comes to packing, so I can assure you I didn’t forget anything.”

“Good!”

There came an awkward silence for a few seconds, before Daniel turned the radio on and let music take over. The blond perked up when he heard a familiar tune of piano playing in the background, accompanied with a peculiar, but graceful voice singing.

“Holy shit, I love this guy,” he exclaimed, grinning widely as he tapped his foot lightly along with the song.

_I think the loveliest time of the year_

_Is the spring, I do, don't you? Course you do_

_But there's one thing that makes spring complete for me_

_And makes every Sunday a treat for me_

Dipper smiled when he heard him singing along happily. Though when he heard the next lines of the song, he was more than amused.

Yep, that’s Bill Cipher.

While his companion was preoccupied, the brunet stared out the window and let out a brief sigh. It’s been quite a while since he had a road trip somewhere, especially with his case. Mabel would have never let him go somewhere without her, even with a lot of friends.

“Mr. Pines, wouldn’t you like to rest for a bit? There are some pillows there that Ms. Pines had asked me to bring for you,” Daniel said, and Dipper chuckled. There certainly was a number of fluffy pillows stacked at the passenger’s seat, though the two didn’t mention anything earlier. They were at a stoplight, and Daniel handed them each one, a small note attached to Dipper’s.

_Hey bro-bro! Don’t stress yourself out during the ride, alright? I made Danny bring some cushions and medicine for you! Have fun with your honeymoon/date/getaway with youknowwho ;)_

_-Mabel x_

Dipper was both happy and incredulous that his sister had really written that, but it was really sweet. He stuffed the letter in his pocket and hugged the pillow tightly.

“Do you wanna sleep, Pine Tree?” Bill suddenly asked, placing his cushion on his lap.

“I’m okay,” the brunet replied, though the yawn that followed betrayed him. The demon snorted and ruffled his hair. “It’s still kind of early, you can rest your head on my lap if you want.”

“Really, I’m fine, but thanks.”

\-----

_“Sir?”_

_“Oh, um, yes, please, what have you gotten?”_

_“I’m afraid we have some bad news…”_

_The voices became unclear, but Mabel’s cries of protest have made the situation obvious. Dipper heard his grunkle screaming, begging the doctor to save them, but the professional sadly explained that it was already too late to do anything. The boy’s body was stiff; he didn’t want to comprehend what was happening._

_“They can’t go. They can’t leave!”  Mabel exclaimed, clutching her rainbow sweater to where her chest was._

_Dipper opened his eyes and saw his sister in tears, shaking and completely red. He absolutely hated seeing her this way. The doctor bowed to them, and left with his head hanging. Dipper frowned and attempted to get up from the bed, but when he did, Stan lightly pushed him back down. Mabel saw this and came over to hug him._

_“Hey there..,” she greeted quietly. She was careful to go around the bandaged areas of his torso and limbs, and when she did, she continued sobbing quietly to avoid him getting too tense._

_Feeling useless, Dipper lifted an arm and gently placed it on her back in an attempt to comfort. It hurt too much to move, but it was the best thing he could do._

_“It’s okay,” Dipper croaked out, his voice rough from the treatment earlier. “I’m still here.”_

_His sister looked up at him with puffy eyes. She was seriously in no mood to smile, but she still did. Seeing her brother alive was the only thing that kept her hopes up._

_“Y-yeah… You’re here…”_

_Dipper felt tears coming out, and he didn’t stop them. Her head was bandaged along with her hand and knees, and she had a few scratches along her face, and she was still there trying to remain positive for the both of them._

_“I’m here. Grunkle Stan is here. We’re still together. It’s okay.”_

_Mabel hugged him tighter, and he felt the sheets get wet with tears, but he didn’t mind one bit. The older man sitting on the chair next to them was completely devastated. He knew what it was like to be abandoned, but not at such a young age. His heart ached for the two siblings who comforted each other._

_“I love you kids,” he sighed, leaving his seat to give them both a hug._

_“We love you too Grunkle Stan; right Dipper?” Mabel choked out. Dipper slowly nodded his head to avoid neck pain, and tried to smile. The medicine was already kicking in, and Dipper felt himself getting sleepy again._

_“Yeah.”_

\-----

“Pine Tree?”

Dipper eventually caved in and collapsed on Bill’s lap to nap. Whilst he was asleep, the older man felt him kind of shaking, but he let this slide and thought that it was because of the slightly bumpy road they were driving on; though he asked Daniel to lower the volume of the radio to not disrupt his sleep. For the first two hours, nothing really happened to them; but after another that was only when Bill was alarmed of Dipper whimpering, with the pillow on his lap drenched in tears.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” the blond whispered, rubbing Dipper’s back to wake him up.

“Daniel, turn the radio off,” he commanded, and the driver obeyed. Bill brushed the wavy locks covering the brunet’s face and saw his rosy cheeks stained. His eyes were still shut, but tears still came out by the corners and it didn’t seem like they were stopping anytime soon.

“Please wake up, Pine Tree,” Bill said worryingly, and Dipper’s breath hitched. He waited for him to say something, but nothing came. The demon went to tap his shoulders in an attempt to wake him. It took him several tries, but it seemed to work. He kept doing it until the man’s face scrunched up, signaling his waking. Blinking several times before opening his eyes, Bill sighed as Dipper looked at him blankly, still sniffling.

“Hey there,” he cooed, wiping the tears from his face, and smiling slightly. Dipper struggled to sit up, but the blond helped him up. “You good?”

Mentally slapping himself for such a stupid question, he was relieved when Pine Tree quirked his lips and nodded.

“Yeah.”

“You want some water? Hold on, I’ve packed some extra medicine for you,” Bill mentioned, digging into his backpack. “Is anything hurting? You sure you’re fine? Is your head aching? I think I have some painkillers here somewhere…”

The brunet smiled at Bill’s mumbling. He’s definitely gotten more aware of what was happening around him, and he was glad that he was a quick learner. The blond pulled out a bottle of water and a pill and handed them to him.

“There you go.”

Dipper just looked at the medicine on his hand and sighed quietly. Bill noticed this, and didn’t want any negative energy around them, so he slung an arm around the lad and exhaled loudly.

“Hey now, I told you no negative vibes, remember? Whatever bad dream you may have had won’t hurt you anymore. I’m here to talk, only later, okay?” he elated. The younger lad managed a grin, making the demon cheer.

“Alright! Better consume that fast though, ‘cause we’re here!”

Daniel made a turn and slowly advanced to a parking lot. When the engine stopped, Bill was eager to get out of the car, but he made sure that Dipper had drank his medicine before pulling him outside. Daniel went ahead to take out the luggage bag at the trunk, and went to open the door for the two inside. Bill thanked him, and held Dipper’s hand in his own. The brunet closed his eyes and heard the sound of waves crashing against the shore, and he smiled.

“Let’s go, Pine Tree!” Bill exclaimed happily, pulling him to the building nearby. Dipper looked back and saw Danny pulling the bag behind them, smiling. He waved at him, and Dipper chuckled.

As they entered, they were immediately greeted by all the staff members. All the people in the lobby looked at their direction briefly. A woman behind the counter acknowledged him with a smile, and Bill smirked when he saw that the brunet covered his face in embarrassment.

“Why are you all red?” he teased. Dipper nudged him at the stomach, and he laughed.

“I thought I was used to the greetings by now. Mabel said she always wanted me to feel at home, so wherever I go she makes sure everyone in the place knows I’ll be coming. It still feels super weird, especially with the stares I get,” he explained as the blond got their room key.

“It is weird,” Bill replied. “But you know she just wants you to feel better. And I’m all for weird.”

Dipper smiled slightly at his statement. The two were ushered to the elevator, to their room at the top floor. The hallways were decked with beautiful paintings and small potted plants, giving the hotel a nice homely feel. The escort looked over his shoulder to see the younger man stare at the decorations in awe, while the blond admired him with a fond smile. He felt bad to break the moment, but he made sure to give them a few more seconds before speaking up.

“Your room, sir,” he told Bill. The demon thanked him and gave him a tip after Dipper had gone inside. From the corner of his eye, Bill noticed that the brunet was still, rapt at the sight upfront. Unaware of what lies ahead, he turns to look and feels his heart stop beating for a second.

“This was so much better than I expected,” he breathed out, closing the door behind them.

The room had an exceptional view of the horizon. The extensive glass windows were opened and allowed them to see the whole beach below. The room was painted a light shade of blue as to not transcend the gorgeous view of the skyline. At the left side, there were two wooden bedside tables with small square wall lamps set above each, and two beds with white sheets and elegant wooden headboards. Two large antique dressers occupied the far right corner, with a 60 inch flat screen mounted on the wall, and the bathroom located beside it. The whole floor was carpeted with black wool, making the room cozier than it already was.

Dipper didn’t waste any time in claiming the bed near the window, taking long strides and throwing himself on the fluffy mattress. The blond laughed, running over and mimicking his action.

“You like it?” Bill asked, turning his body to face the happy lad, who had his gaze outside.

“A lot, yeah.”

“Awesome! Though we can’t relish the comfort of this bed until tonight,” the demon said, immediately getting up and stretching an arm out for Dipper. The brunet groaned and took his hand.

“Why not? It’s so comfy.”

“Because we have stuff to do!”

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation, and both men glanced at the direction of the noise. Relief washed over Bill when he realized it was only Daniel coming in with their stuff. Dipper went over to take the bag and apologize for the trouble.

“It’s really alright,” Danny laughed, “but I best be going. Ms. Pines has another task assigned to me, and you know how she gets when I don’t show up on time.”

The brunet chuckled. “Thanks so much again.”

“Anytime, Dipper.”

After the man left, Bill helped in unpacking and reminded Dipper that they were going to have lunch first before doing the activities he planned for the both of them.

“It’s gonna be a lot of fun!”

\-----

Dipper smiled amusingly while his companion eyed the people in line in a strange manner.

“Why do they wait?”

“Because it isn’t their turn yet.”

Bill took another bite of his steak and rested his cheek on his fist. Humans really were one strange puzzle to piece.

“What if they’ve already decided on what they want to eat?”

“Then they wait for their turn.”

“Can’t they just go ahead of the line?”

“That would be rude,” Dipper chuckled, feeling content as he felt like he was finally getting a break from the darned house. And the fact that Bill and him were acting as close to friends as possible in public was a great relief.

“Oh well,” he exclaimed, finishing his food and chugging down his water. He let out a huge burp, and almost everyone in the room gives him a glance. Dipper snickered and quickly looked down and closed his eyes to avoid causing another commotion. The blond shot them all back a confused look at first, then smiled.

“Did I say something I wasn’t supposed to out loud?” he whispered, leaning in to Dipper after the people turned their attention away. The brunet quirked his lips and sighed.

_What am I going to do with you?_

“You burped too loud.”

“Oh.”

Bill leaned back on his chair and let out a satisfied sigh, patting his belly. Dipper smiled at him, but then he noticed him staring at his food. Not hungrily.

“Why’d you order that?” the blond questioned, in a slightly disgusted manner.

“What’s wrong with salmon?”

“I don’t know, my food just seems more cardiovascular system unfriendly and tasty. Yours looks healthy but completely bland.”

Dipper gives a small, noticeably sad smile.

“Yeah.”

“Well,” the demon signaled the line. “Why don’t you order what I did?”

“I can’t give back what I’ve already eaten half of.”

Bill quirked an eyebrow and ‘tsked. He sensed earlier that Dipper was actually just forcing himself to make a healthier choice of food than get what he really wanted. Frowning, he continued to witness the younger lad swallow down his meal hesitantly.

Crossing his arms, he said, “Well, I probably won’t understand why you’re doing this to yourself, but I hope whatever made you do it is for your own good.”

Dipper didn’t look up. He just stared down on his fork and continued chewing his food. He felt his lips wanting to curl into a smile, but he didn’t want to since he knew that it wouldn’t do him any good.

“Don’t worry. I am.”

…

When Dipper finally finished his food, Bill gets him to come upstairs to get changed into his swimwear. The brunet didn’t bring any, and just changed into a pair of regular shorts and a white shirt.

“Already? We gotta wait at least 30 minutes to let the food settle into our stomachs,” the brunet argued. The demon wasn’t having any of it, and changed into his swim trunks and grabbed a towel. Barefoot and putting on some sunblock, he exclaimed, “Come on! Aren’t you excited we get to have something to do other than lay around and let the moving picture box drill holes in our minds and deprive us of physical contentment?”

Dipper scoffed and smiled at his choice of words, but shrugged anyway. He took Bill’s towel to carry for him and handed him a pair of flip flops.

“I guess.”

Bill clapped excitedly before wearing what he was given, and dragged him to the elevator. He pressed the button for the first floor and kept smiling widely. The brunet couldn’t really comprehend his enthusiasm, but it most likely had something to do with a change of scenery.

And actual activities.

When they got to the beach, stepping on the soft, white sand was enough to send the blond into a laughing mess.

“Holy shit! This tickles my feet!”

Dipper placed a hand on Bill’s shoulder and put a finger up his lip.

“Okay, okay, calm down. Calm down.”

The demon wiggled his toes in the sand and giggles like a child as he does. He takes his flip flops off and ran towards the ocean with his arms outstretched. It would’ve been an adorable sight if it was a small child doing the actions, but having a blond, 6 foot tall man in nothing but yellow board shorts with triangle patterns was quite a different story.

“He’s lucky he looks good,” Dipper mumbled under his breath. He picked up the flip flops and shook his head before following his companion to the ocean.

Meanwhile, the older man went deeper and deeper into the water, still giggling, trying to find out until where he could still be not completely submerged underwater. He saw Dipper setting his footwear down and waving his arms to get his attention.

“Don’t go too far!” he heard him scream in the distance, before sitting down and playing in the sand. Bill walked slowly back to the shore and smiled at his companion.

“Why don’t you come with me in the sea?”

Dipper continued to do something with the sand, not looking up. “I didn’t bring any swim wear.”

“Isn’t what you’re wearing appropriate for the activity?”

He smiled. “Nope.”

Bill frowned in return and sat beside him, his hair dripping with salty ocean water. He turned his attention to a small sculpture Dipper was building out of the strange material. Staring intently at the sand, he didn’t feel Dipper’s hand squeeze his hair to get his hand moist to keep the structure standing. Moments after, there was a small, cylindrical sand sculpture standing in between the brunet’s legs.

“Voila,” he announces proudly. “A sand castle!”

The blond furrowed his eyebrows and brings his face closer to his creation. He snorted and turned to give Dipper an amused look.

“Castles don’t look like that, you know.”

“So? It’s still considered a castle,” the brunet answered back, scoffing. “You think you can do better?”

“Ha! I’ll show you something more than a castle! Just you wait!”

Bill stood up and positioned himself near the shore to sculpt his own creation with the sand by the shore where the waves splashed. He figured since they were moister than what the brunet used, he would get a better shot at making a better castle. Dipper watched amusingly as the blond struggled to build as the waves kept pushing him, and knocking the sculpture down. He didn’t move from his position, and after minutes of getting his structure washed away by the waters, he lies on the sand with his face in his hands. Dipper laughed and watched at the blond got back up and made an effort to find a different way to build without the waves disturbing him.

_You see, Pine Tree, you humans are strange, and I’m pretty sure I would never understand all the conditions you all have implemented on yourselves for the benefit of others. But I hope you know that no matter how ridiculous they can get sometimes, I will be willing to follow them all if it means having you happy. And as for the conditions you implement upon yourself, please promise me that they really are something that will make you feel better, and not for anybody else._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi lovelies, hope you enjoy this chapter! i literally had the strongest kind of coffee in my system while typing this up kek
> 
> if you're wondering why there are so many random moments in this, keep in mind that they are important parts in the story ;) so keep your eyes peeled for tiny details, because they all foreshadow the upcoming chapters. 
> 
> updates are always on saturdays as promised, so stay tuned, and thanks for reading!~


	11. Serendipity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sight made the brunet more confused than upset. He stood up straight and pushed the door open to get the attention of the two. He meets the familiar pair of icy blue eyes, her lids double winged and her eyelashes longer with the mascara on. She smiled with her full, bold red lips before speaking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear i've been studying french, but anyone is welcome to correct me~ kek
> 
> also credits to @memesfrommenace on tumblr for the loveliest starters! i used most of them here because i'm a little shit
> 
> enjoy~

Dipper tried to stretch his arms, but then realized that someone else was on the bed with him. Their arms were wrapped around his torso, as if the brunet were something like a teddy bear. Upon opening his eyes and seeing blonde locks spread across his chest, he smiled and yawned. Checking his watch, it was 9:45 a.m. They needed to leave in 15 minutes.

“Psst. Wake up,” the brunet whispered, patting Bill’s head. The demon groaned and hugged him even tighter. Dipper chuckled and stroked his hair.

“Come on sleepyhead, we need to fix our things.”

Another groan.

“We have to get up.”

“Mmph. I don’t want to.”

“Why not?”

“I’m so warm beside you.”

The younger lad blushed heavily and pushed himself off from Bill’s embrace. The blond mumbled something he didn’t understand, and the brunet just went over to their suitcases to fix their clothes. Bill continued muttering something under his breath, and Dipper rolled his eyes, smirking.

“If you’re trying to cast a spell to get me back in bed, it’s not gonna work anymore.”

Bill let out a frustrated grumble and sat up to see the brunet get up and go to the bathroom. Blinking sleepily, he followed him there, and saw that he was having trouble breathing again. The demon snapped awake, and rushed over to his side to rub his back soothingly. Dipper was holding onto the sink, and as soon as he felt the blond’s touch, he immediately calmed down, and felt his heart slow down.

“You okay, Pine Tree?”

The brunet furrowed his eyebrows.

What the…?

“…”

“Pine tree?”

Dipper didn’t want Bill to get worried again, especially since the week had been so nice without having any attacks.

“Surprisingly, yes,” he joked, sighing while smiling. “Thank you.”

“You don’t need water or anything? Have you consumed your medicine?”

“I’m supposed to eat first, but I’m okay. Thank you again.”

Bill gave him a confused look, but in return Dipper just smiled.

“I’m fine. Come on, we have to leave soon.”

The brunet got out the bathroom and headed back to fix his suitcase, but Bill stopped him and gently held his wrist. He led him to the bed and made him sit down.

“You must still be tired. I mean, you had to deal with my shenanigans with the ocean and swimming, so I don’t see why I shouldn’t be the one to arrange our things back.”

Bill began to tidy up, and Dipper quirked his lips.

_I hate this feeling so much._

\-----

In the elevator, after grabbing the last set of clean clothes and wearing them without showering, the two waited patiently as they descended from their floor. Dipper was lost in his own little world again, clutched on Bill’s arm, whereas the older man was holding both their luggage. As if by instinct, the brunet rested his head on Bill’s upper arm. When he let out a deep breath, the blonde looked at him, (well, the top of his head since he was slightly taller), and noticed a piece of white fluff sitting on one of his curls.

“You have something in your hair,” he spoke up. Dipper was startled and pulled his head away.

“Really?”

He was about to reach for his hair and brush it, but Bill let go of their luggage to stop his hand.

“Let me get it for you,” he said, and proceeded to pinch the fluff out. He held it out for Dipper to see, and flicked it away. The blond returned to holding their things, and his companion turned red once more as he got lost in a completely different world in his mind again.

\-----

“Weeeeee’re baaaaaaaack!” Bill yelled happily, throwing himself on the couch and breathing a deep sigh of relief. Dipper held the door open for Danny to get in and put their bags in their room. He sat down on the armrest of the couch and thanked his friend for helping out again.

“Always my pleasure,” the man replied, smiling. “Is there anything else you may need assistance with?”

“Danny, quit it with the formal talk,” Dipper laughed. “But thank you, we’re good.”

The man chuckled and bowed before leaving. “Have a nice afternoon, you two.”

Bill’s eyes were closed when the brunet looked over at him, and he wasn’t smiling nor frowning. His lips were in a straight line, and looked like he was debating in his mind whether or not to say something he wanted.

“I’m kind of hungry,” Dipper said quietly, standing up. “You want me to cook something, Bill?”

The demon didn’t open his eyes, but replied, “Don’t tire yourself out, Pine Tree. We just got back from a trip, and you’re exhausted.”

“We literally sat in a car for 3 hours and a half, how can I be tired?” he chuckled feebly, making his way to the kitchen to look for something he can prepare with minimal work. He dragged his feet against the floor, making the wood creak with every step he took.

“I can hear it from here,” was the response, and looking back, Bill was sitting up. He looked over his shoulder and saw Pine Tree staring at him with an unreadable expression.

“You know what- come here,” Bill said, going to the brunet, and grabbing his hand. “You need to sit down. I can see tired lines on your forehead.”

Dipper smiled weakly, and leaned on him.

_You’re right._

“Of course I am,” the blond said proudly, and the younger lad was getting heavier by the second. Bill assisted him in standing, but he was too weak to help himself.

“Okay, okay. Here, I’ll carry you the rest of the way.”

The demon placed Dipper’s arms around his neck and lifted his legs up, carrying him bridal-style. He walked over to the couch, but thought twice before putting him down.

“Honestly, it can get uncomfortable here,” Bill muttered to the lad, whose eyes were half-lidded. “Do you want to go to your bed?”

“I have to eat something so I can drink my medicine,” Dipper mentioned softly. “I’ll be fine.”

The blond doubted his words, and placed some pillows where Dipper’s head was going to be, and laid him there. The brunet smiled and thanked him.

“Sorry I’m so useless,” he whispered jokingly, but Bill frowned.

“Don’t say things like that. Here, watch some television while I cook something for us.”

He handed Dipper the remote, but made sure to turn the T.V. on before he left. The demon may have looked calm and collected on the outside, but he was freaking out on the inside.

_Why did I say that? I don’t actually know what to do! I can’t cook breakfast, it’s the afternoon! What does Pine Tree need to eat, anyway? Should I ask him? No, I need to figure this out by myself. Calm down Cipher, let’s look for something healthy in here. Shit, why do I have to be so overly confident all the time? I hope Pine Tree doesn’t hate me for this._

Bill got the can of strange liquid in the cupboard and read the instructions at the back. He squinted and cursed at the letters for being so tiny, but eventually grabbed some ingredients in the fridge and prepared a pot for cooking. He also got the knife and chopping board, and takes a deep breath.

_Let’s hope I get this right._

\-----

Dipper heard Bill talk to himself from the kitchen while preparing something, and it made him smile. He was happy he was making an effort for him, and it was really sweet, if you ask him. The brunet weakly sat up to witness his busy companion do his business, and looked away when he felt like his face will split in half when he grins any wider.

There was a heavenly scent coming from the kitchen, and Dipper got excited. He grabbed the item nearest to him, a pillow, and squeezed it as hard as he can while he stared blankly at the show in front of him, a habit he developed whenever he felt his heart move strangely. But in a good way.

It wasn’t until he heard Bill curse repeatedly, he let go of the cushion and looked behind. The blond carefully rushed over and placed a large bowl of something steaming on the coffee table. He made sure not to spill it when he set it down, and collapsed on the floor when he let go of the extremely hot dishware. Dipper, somehow regaining a little bit of strength back, quickly pulled himself to the edge of the couch and peeks from the armrest.

“Are you okay?” he asked worryingly.

_Dumb question, Pines._

“It’s fine,” Bill chuckled, his limbs spread wide on the floor. His hands were completely scorched, and Dipper’s eyes widened.

“JESUS,” he exclaimed, pushing himself off the couch and weakly made his way over to the demon. Bill stood up immediately and tried to stop him, but this time, the brunet dragged him to the kitchen sink and made him place his hands under cool running water. The demon bit his lip, knowing that he’s gotten Pine Tree all worked up again.

“Don’t move,” Dipper commanded, and Bill obeyed. He went to the bathroom and came out with a green tube of gel and gauze in one hand, and a soft, clean towel in the other.

“Um… Pine Tree?” the blond mumbled. Dipper ignored him, tracing Bill’s palms with one finger gently to soothe the burn. He let him leave his hands under the water for about 10 more minutes, and turns the tap off.

“Give me your hands.”

Bill stretched his arms and shows his puffy palms, and Dipper sighs. They looked better than they were before the water, but with the scars from the last bloody incident, the brunet wanted to sob. He kept his cool though, and carefully dabbed the cloth on his palms to dry them. At one point, Bill hissed when Dipper touched a certain spot where a scar was.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m sorry, please calm down,” the lad murmured, still patting his hands. “I’ll be more careful.”

The blond looked down in shame, knowing that he was supposed to be the one saying the line, but kept his mouth shut. Dipper set the towel aside and opened the tube. He squeezed some of the gel on Bill’s hands, and spread it evenly on his hands with two fingers before sighing.

“Does that feel better?” the brunet asked. “It’s aloe vera.” The demon looked at his palms and to be honest, they were numb. But it felt better than anything.

“Yes... But how did you-?”

“This was what my mom used to do to my fingers when I touched the pot while she was cooking.” Dipper spoke. “It relieved me, but I’m not sure if the same effect is happening on you.”

“It most probably is.”

“Good.”

Nothing could be heard except for the T.V. blaring from the other room, and Bill sighed. He sat down on the counter and rested his hands on his lap. Dipper proceeded to wrap his hands with the gauze, and made sure to put them loosely and carefully.

“I’m sorry, Pine Tree. I didn’t know.” He felt something pierce at the corner of his eyes, and he quirked his lips. Dipper breathed deeply and took a seat next to him, leaning on the blond’s upper arm.

“It’s okay, I understand,” he replied gently. “Besides, live and learn, right?”

Bill looked over him and Pine Tree looked up with a small smile. It was an extremely tired smile, but it was genuine.

_Why are you like this?_

…

The lad went back to leaning on his arm, and Bill rested his chin on top of the brunet’s head. They stay like that for a few minutes, before Bill got down to help Dipper get back to the couch.

“Feel better?”

“You really should save your energy, Pine Tree,” Bill mentioned, chuckling a bit. He went back to the kitchen to get a spoon, a glass of water, and Dipper’s pillbox, and put it on a plate so he could carry it without using his palms. Placing it next to the bowl of hot soup he just handled, he sat down in front of Dipper, grabbed the spoon and smiled.

“What are you doing..?”

“Let’s forget about my accident,” the blond chuckled. He then put on a serious face and dipped the spoon in the soup. He carefully held it up Dipper’s mouth level, and brings his right palm under the head of the spoon to make sure it doesn’t spill.

“I’m not much of a chef, but… I really hope you like this,” he beamed. “Open up!”

Dipper smiled and blew on the soup before opening his mouth and let Bill feed him. After swallowing, the brunet is surprised how well it is actually cooked.

“Wow.”

“You like it?” Bill asked excitedly, grinning from ear to ear. Dipper smiled as widely and nods. The demon clapped, and immediately regretted it as he felt his palms sting. Dipper snorted and caressed his hands gently.

“Be careful.”

“I’ll be okay! Do you want me to feed you more?” Bill eagerly replies, the wide smile still on his face. Dipper is a wreck; he still couldn’t believe this was the weird demon that wanted to destroy everything and terrorize creatures that got in his way. He nods again and lets the blond feed him 3 more times before speaking.

“You’re okay with feeding me?” the brunet asked, feeling better after eating.

“The question is, you’re okay with letting me feed you?” his companion chuckled. Dipper rolled his eyes and nodded.

“How did you do this on your own? I though you may have cut yourself with the knife, considering there’s some ingredients that needs to be chopped.”

Bill smirked. “Oh, I did. Several times. But it’s okay, I know how to take care of those wounds now. It’s why I kind of hissed earlier. Sorry about that.” He feeds Dipper the last spoonful of chicken mushroom soup, and the brunet shrugged at his last answer.

“Thank you.”

“No problem!” The blond reaches for the glass of water and pillbox. He hands Dipper the water and gets his medicine.

“Here you go! I’ll go ahead and tidy up.” 

“You shouldn’t wash the dishes-“

“I won’t, don’t worry. I’ll just run them over cold water, and I’ll sit with you here.”

\-----

Just lounging on the couch with the T.V. on, the two weren’t exactly listening to the program the device was showing. Bill lied down on the couch with Dipper on his side. Their legs were tangled into each other, and Dipper rested his head on Bill’s chest. The blond gently stroked the younger lad’s hair, and the action both relaxed them. He noticed that his Pine Tree’s usually wavy hair was slightly longer and curlier, but he didn’t mind.

“It’s so comforting to be here with you,” Bill mumbled. The brunet wasn’t listening, but he nodded anyway.

“Yeah.”

The demon chuckled, knowing that what he was doing was helping Pine Tree fall asleep. He closed his eyes and smirked.

“Hey, Bill?” Dipper whispered.

“Hm?”

“Um, would it be okay if…”

“Yeah?”

“Uh…”

Bill wanted to scream at Dipper for being all shy to ask, when they do it all the time.

_And adorable._

“... I hold your hand?” the brunet finally muttered. The demon wastes no time in holding out his bandaged hand and letting Dipper interlace their fingers together. Bill respired contently and continued running his fingers over the sleepy lad’s soft curls. Dipper traced over the bandages on his palm using his thumb, but eventually gave in when sleep overcame him.

Bill waited a few minutes before the brunet started snoring, and smiled fondly at him. He gently detached himself from the position they were in and carried him to bed. It was slightly warm in the room, so he carefully stripped the man’s shirt off. He brushed the hair covering Dipper’s forehead and kissed his birthmark before leaving the room to clean up.

He tossed the shirt in the laundry basket in the bathroom and got to the kitchen to try and do the dishes by himself.

\-----

The brunet heard laughing from a different room, and something strange filled his stomach. He stretches and takes a deep breath before sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Blinking several times, he glanced at the clock and gets up. It was 6:30, and he was sure he was most likely not going to get any sleep anytime soon.

He hears the laughing get louder at the other room, and this makes him get out of bed to see who was around. There was a mirror adjacent to his room so when he opens the door a little bit, it is not enough to let the people outside notice but enough to see the whole living room.  On the couch, he sees his housemate, dressed up in a white button down and a yellow sweater, slacks and his special occasion shoes, and a new friend of his, in a purple cocktail dress and black heels, with a black purse beside her. On the coffee table sat a bottle of wine, half-finished. The two were enjoying each other’s company, babbling away in a different language that Dipper couldn’t understand.

The sight made the brunet more confused than upset. He stood up straight and pushed the door open to get the attention of the two. He meets the familiar pair of icy blue eyes, her lids double winged and her eyelashes longer with the mascara on. She smiled with her full, bold red lips before speaking.

“Bonsoir, Dipper!” Veronica exclaimed, placing her empty wine glass down before going over to hug him. The brunet didn’t move, as he is still completely baffled with the situation he was presented with. Bill smiled and stood up from the couch, going over to the both of them and slinging an arm over Dipper.

“Dipper, I believe you’ve met Roni?” he asked. The lad just nodded. The demon turned to the woman and smirked.

“Et Roni, je croires que vous avez rencontré Dipper aussi?”

“Oui! Il es la un tu aimer, oui?”  Roni answered, a wide grin spread across her face. Dipper furrowed his eyebrows.

“Il ne sait pas j’aime lui.” Bill replied, his expression falling.

“Pourqoui?” The woman responded.

“Il n’a pas avoir besoin savior.”

Roni quirked her lips and frowned before the blond spoke again. “Mais cest d’accord pour moi! We get to live together in the house, and I get to take care of him which is what matters.”

Dipper rubbed his temples and smiled at the two. “Excuse moi, mon amis. I have to go to la bathroom.”

The pair chuckled and made way for him to get out of the scene, but Roni looked at the clock and excused herself. She went over to Dipper and gently held his wrist to stop him.

“Dip, I actually just happened to bump into Bill while I was taking a walk earlier! He looked like he wanted.. moi mort! It was cute!” she giggled, then continued. “He says he knows me because you told him about me weeks ago, and he was… jaloux.”

“No translation needed,” he replied, smiling. “I only want to know how you two ended up on the couch laughing so hard.”

“Ah! I told him I had a boyfriend, and I was going on a date with him tonight!” Dipper’s eyes widened.

So she’s taken. By who?

“I invited him for a double date, which is why he’s all dressed up like me!”

_Oh no._

“But he says nobody interests him except for you,” Roni winked.

“Soooo… " She wiggled her eyebrows cheekily. "Double date?”

The brunet turned red and scratched the back of his neck embarrassingly. “Uhm, well, if that would be okay with him…”

“Oui!” Bill shouted from across the room, raising his wine glass with a freshly bandaged hand. “Je suis prêt!”

“But I’m not ready!”

\-----

“Are you upset?” Dipper murmured. His eyes were closed to avoid the shampoo from getting in his eyes. Bill was bathing him, even with the condition of his hands. They were still pretty numb, but he didn’t mind, nor care. He wanted to do something nice for Pine Tree than stress him out again, so he made him sit in the bathtub so he could take care of his hygiene. Dipper didn’t fight it, with the confusion earlier, he couldn’t care less.

“It would make Roni’s boyfriend upset if he knew she was making him wait on their date by talking to another guy, right?” Bill chuckled, pouring some water over the brunet’s head to rinse him.

“Yeah.”

"Also, I sense you're pretty tired, even though you just woke up. I understand though," Bill laughed, and began to scrub Dipper’s body with soap after a few seconds of silence.

“You’re okay with bathing me in those clothes?” he asked, seeing that the demon was still in his white button up and slacks. He took off the sweater, and rolled his sleeves up to avoid getting them wet or soaped. He took off his fancy shoes too because Dipper wouldn’t let him in the bathroom unless he did.

“Of course.”

…

“I didn’t know you spoke French.”

Bill smiled cheekily. “There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me.”

The brunet frowned.

“Don’t worry Pine Tree! I’m opening up to you little by little, aren’t I? You’ll get to know me a lot better soon as time passes by.”

Once the realization was stated, Dipper sighed and a wide grin spread slowly on his lips. He covered his face to stop Bill from seeing him flustered, but it was too late.

“I like seeing you smile, Pine Tree,” Bill whispered, now smiling fondly. “It indicates that you’re happy. Keep doing it, alright?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Also, don't you worry. We go on those human dates all the time, anyway."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> unpolished ehehehe, sorry for the slightly late update and sucky rushed beginning and ending  
> and yes iknowthetitleiscornyashell
> 
> but hey there lovelies i hope you enjoyed this chapter~ i know i did writing it c: 
> 
> next chapter is on saturday, as always~


	12. Leisure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m glad we can enjoy this moment. Just the two of us, you know?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **slightly long explanation and announcement at the end. meanwhile, enjoy the chapter~**

“SHIT!”

The brunet snorted and rolled his eyes as he ran a hand in his hair and shook water droplets out, staining the shirt he was holding. He shrugged and wore it, and got out of the bathroom feeling fresh. He inhaled sharply when another loud curse was emitted by his obnoxious companion from downstairs.

“Time to face the day, then,” he said to himself, chuckling. He strode over to the staircase and went down the steps, curious as to what Bill may have been doing again. Greeted by a strange sight, it made his head tilt slightly, but his heart flutter absurdly.

“Oh, hey Pine Tree!” the blond greeted gleefully, making Dipper smile in return. He walked over to the dining table and took a seat beside him, though the man had covered what he was doing with his arm to avoid Dipper seeing it. The brunet had an idea of what he was up to though; what with all the art materials laid out and scattered across the table, and paint all over his arms and clothes.

“Oh come on, you don’t need to be shy,” he chuckled, ruffling the demon’s hair in fondness. Bill chuckled, but refused to show him.

“It’s a project I’m working on that meat sacks aren’t allowed to see!” he retaliated as Dipper attempted to pull him away from his work. Laughing and pulling on his arm, the brunet replied, “You’re technically a meat sack now, you know!”

“That’s not the point!”

The two continued on with their lighthearted banter, until Dipper gave up and rested his head on the table. He turned his head and pouted at the man, who in return stuck his tongue out.

“You can’t see it until I’ve finished,” he assured, patting the younger lad’s hair. “Then again,” he chuckled, “I did fuck it up minutes ago…”

“Lemme see.” he replied stubbornly, still pouting. Bill cursed at himself for being so lucky to have such an admirable human with him, and decided to let go of his ego. He placed his work upside down and stood up to make the situation more serious.

“You won’t laugh?”

The brunet chuckled and stood. “I won’t!”

“You just did!” Bill replied in sarcastic disbelief, holding his paint covered hand over his chest dramatically. Dipper bit his lower lip to avoid any more laughing, and exhaled noisily.

_God, you’re a riot._

“I won’t. I promise.”

He held out his right pinky finger, and the demon looked at him in a perplexed manner. He leaned in and inspected his hand amusingly, looking up at the lad with a smug face. Dipper smiled and took his left pinky and locked them together.

“I promise.”

Bill stared at the gesture with regaled eyes, and smirked. “Is this your version of my handshake?”

“I guess so,” Dipper smiled, and released his pinky. “Now, mind showing me what you’ve done?”

Bill gulped and muttered something very awkwardly, which Dipper understood as his first time showing his work off. He found this quite ludicrous, seeing as the man was confident and prideful. Still, the action made him realize how genuine Bill’s becoming of his emotions, which made him grin from ear to ear.

The blond noticed this from the corner of his eye, and hesitated to lift up the canvas. “You’re gonna laugh? I can see your smirk with those intentions.”

“No, no! I’m just excited to see!” Dipper said honestly, becoming a bit impatient. “Seriously, I’ve never met or known anybody who’s skilled in painting, except for Mabel, of course.”

“You haven’t even seen my work yet. How can you say I’m skilled?”

“I can tell because I’ve seen you work last night.” Dipper smiled. Bill’s eyes widened and felt his cheeks flare up, and proceeded to cover his face.

_Crap, what?_

“You may have knocked over a couple of paintbrushes here and there when I was falling asleep, so I decided to see you do your thing. It’s kind of weird to say it, but you’re so focused that you didn’t hear me move from one side of the bed to the other just to watch you work.”

Bill scoffed. “That’s kind of unfair, Pine Tree.  Also, that doesn’t really add up to the conclusion of my-”

“Bill, please. Just let me see?”

The demon didn’t know what came over him when he heard Dipper’s voice like that, but he immediately put the canvas up and respired. “Well, okay.”

He turned the piece to face the brunet. His reaction caught Bill’s attention; his mouth dropping from a soft smile to form an ‘o’ shape. The blond couldn’t read his emotions, seeing as they were practically all over the place. He got a glimpse of shock and dubiety, which intrigued him. Dipper walked closer to the canvas and brushed the side of the work, and he furrowed his eyebrows and frowned.

“What?” the demon asked, his cheeks heating up again.

“Bill… what happened?”

The older man didn’t know how to react, and smiled while his eyes turned red. “What do you mean?”

It was a portrait of a young man, with milky white skin and ginger hair. His green eyes were intricately painted with delicate eyelashes, and he had a mole just below his left eye, on his cheek. His lips looked soft and pale, with dots of red tinting the inner corner of his mouth. His face was ruined, as purple paint had spilled across the canvas, resulting in a disastrous kind of melting effect to the art.

This upset the brunet greatly. Bill’s eyes turned back to normal, and he started to speak before getting interrupted.

“Awww, don’t be bummed, Pine Tree! I can fix it-“

“No you can’t. The paint’s already dried.”

Dipper was pouting again and Bill wanted to smack himself.

_Cut it out, Cipher. He’s upset._

The blond chuckled and cupped his Pine Tree’s cheeks adoringly. “You have got to stop that. I can fix it, alright? Though it won’t be as clean as before, it’s going to look more like an abstract portrait now. Okay?”

“But you worked so hard.”

“It’s fine! It’s a new experience! And it includes my most favorite thing in the world!”

Dipper pursed his lips and held on to Bill’s wrists.

“Destruction?”

The older man sensed that the brunet didn’t really like the topic of the past, so he used his quick wits to make the conversation more positive.

“Think of it more as creation through destruction; that way, everyone wins! Right?” Bill grinned widely, releasing Dipper’s face. The younger lad smiled, and in a flash, he hugged the taller man without warning. This startled him, but after a few seconds of taking it in, the blond eventually caved in, wrapping his arms around the lad and burying his face into his neck.

_You’re taking in things more positively now than before. I’m proud of you._

“You know, you’re pretty affectionate,” Bill muttered, smiling at the lad's thoughts. By instinct, he started to stroke his back gently. “But I like it.”

The brunet didn’t feel uncomfortable at the bluntness, which was a huge wave of relief, saving him the energy from hiding his face in embarrassment. He relished in the meager moments of the embrace before breaking apart.

Smiling up to him, he suspected a mischievous grin that played upon his lips. Dipper squinted suspiciously, while his companion flashed him a not-so-innocent look implying that he should get out before he does what he’s planning to. The brunet snorted and took two steps back, when he saw Bill grab the open yellow paint tube on the table.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

The blond just kept smiling. “Try me.”

Dipper giggled and took three more steps back before hitting the cupboard behind him. Bill lunged forward and immediately cornered the lad with his arms on both sides so he wouldn’t escape so easily.

“And where do you think you’re going, _Pine Tree?_ ”

The brunet locked his gaze with the demon, looking intensely into his eyes to make an effort to distract him. Bill smirked and squeezed some paint onto his finger before speaking.

“You really think your plan’s going to work on me?” he challenged. Dipper snickered, but didn’t break eye contact.

“You’re too busy reading me. Catch me if you can!”

Dipper bent down and dashed beneath the demon’s arms, letting out an almost manic laugh when he got out of the house with the blond still in the same position. He whipped his head around to see an out of breath Dipper, and he smirked deviously.  
  
“Smart kid,” Bill muttered before shouting; “Run all you want, Pine Tree, I’ll be there even before you realize it!”

Dipper taunted him and ran immediately to the forest, panting and laughing with every step. His heart started to beat in an abnormal pattern, but he couldn’t really care less at the moment. All his thoughts were focused on the fact that he shouldn’t get paint on his clothes and lose Bill. Looking back, he saw the demon chasing after him with a wide smile across his face, breathing rapidly. He laughed at the sight and turned his head back. Dodging the trees were fairly easy for the both of them, since they both new the place by heart, but the brunet was already thinking of something that could make Bill lose track of him. Observing his surroundings, he decided to swerve at the third tree he was going to pass, and he giggled.

“Watch out, Bill!” he screamed, before making his turn, grabbing a branch for assistance. He abruptly stopped at his tracks, and he cackled when he felt the swift breeze pass his back.

“What the- OH FUCK SHI-“

The younger lad leaned on the tree to catch his breath, but jerked a bit violently when he heard a loud crash come from where Bill had supposedly gone to. His eyes widened at the realization of the event, and he didn’t wait any more time to rush over to see if he’s by any means okay.

“Bill?! Bill!”

He ran quickly, avoiding rocks that were gradually getting bigger and bigger; making him even more panicky at the possible accident outcomes. Dipper’s breaths shortened and quickened at an erratic pace, and he was beginning to get worried for the both of them.

“Bill?!”

He heard the rustling of leaves somewhere, and he followed the sound, eventually leading him to the blond prone on the ground with his head under a pile of one, groaning.

“H-hey! Crap, a-are, you alright?”

The brunet carefully stepped over the medium sized rock that served as an impediment, and checked if his companion’s lower body was injured as he came closer. He didn’t see bleeding or anything serious, so that was good. Still panting, he bent down and tapped the man’s shoulder.

“Bill,” he breathed out. It was only at that moment he felt his heart still beating at an abnormal pattern. Placing a hand over his chest and doing his breathing exercises, he tapped Bill again, only to be greeted by a sound somewhere between a laugh and a groan.

“Hey,” Dipper exclaimed, rubbing his chest. “…Can you… Are you..?”

The blond replied with a moan and placed his palms on the ground to push himself up. He shook his head to get the leaves out of his hair, and he sat up. He smiled faintly at the younger lad in front of him, but it quickly faded away when the throbbing pain in his head and the horrified expression on the lad’s face put two and two together.

“Hey, you okay?” Bill asked, seeing the brunet’s hand over his heart again. The discomfort he was experiencing was unbelievably severe; the sharp sudden pains that shot through his head hurt even more than hell. He tried ignoring it, and gave Dipper an uneasy smile as he pushed himself up to stand and held out a hand for him.

“Do you need me to carry you-“

“Don’t be ridiculous!” the younger lad exclaimed, getting up slowly and placing a firm hand on his shoulder. Bill’s expression changed every time a sharp pain shot through, and it was getting more and more intense by each passing moment. He gently touched the back of his head and flinched, feeling a little bit of cold liquid run down his scalp and finger.

“It’s fine! I’ll be fine, Pine Tree! Let’s just go to the house so we can both rest-“

“Please.”

At this point the brunet had control of his breathing, and he slung Bill’s arm over his shoulder to help him walk.

“Let’s go.”

.

.

.

.

.

\-----

“I don’t know, I just bolted and didn’t really see where I was going because I turned my head back.”

The two were on the couch, with the T.V. on some cheesy movie that they didn’t really care about, and a cup of tea on each of their laps. Bill’s head was bandaged; Dipper made him clean his hands and remove paint from them to avoid any infection when he accidentally touches his wound. To the brunet’s relief, it wasn’t too serious of a wound, but it did need to get cleaned up quickly.

 

* * *

 

“Stay still, and don’t talk,” Dipper muttered, feeling incredibly guilty. The blond let out strained whimpers and gasps as his wound was being treated, and was struggling to be calm, but the pain was seriously intolerable. It’s only been 10 minutes since it had begun, but it felt like gruesome decades for the injured man as the pain didn’t really subside immediately.

The brunet was almost finished, but he could feel Bill still in an extremely disturbed state, so he did a trick his mom used to do to put him to ease, at the very least.

“Hey, hey,” he whispered. “Give me your hand, yeah?”

The demon groaned and held one out. Dipper smiled softly and made sure Bill was looking when he took it and started to caress it as gently as possible. While doing this, he hummed along a little song quietly. The tenderness of the actions worked, as it got the blond to sigh heavily and sit still. He started to mimic the breathing exercise he picked up from Dipper, closed his eyes, and was pretty amused when it was actually taking an effect.

The younger lad lightly placed Bill’s hand on his lap to finish the job. He decided it was appropriate to speak when he dressed the wound.

“I’m sorry…”

Bill scoffed, and winced at the pain. He opened his eyes when he didn’t feel Pine Tree’s hands on him. He was wearing a guilty and apologetic look, which got the older man thinking what was wrong with him.

“What’s with that face?” he asked softly, patting the space next to him on the couch. Dipper looked down on the floor and sat down, twiddling his thumbs together as he thought of an answer.

“I mean, if I hadn’t run away and just succumbed to the paint stain, you would’ve been okay.”

And we would’ve had much more fun painting each other like we were canvases.

“Well,” Bill interrupted, “we could’ve had more fun, but that would be hell for me.” He chuckled when Dipper gave him a questioning look.

“You mean to say you’d rather injure yourself than have good clean fun?”

“Pine Tree!” he laughed, pulling him in for a hug. “What I mean is, I would rather get into some physical exercise than waste art materials by staining your beautiful skin.”

The brunet felt his face get red, but it was followed by a smirk.

_Huh?_

“Changing the game to become the more passionate one, I see?”

Bill let him go and let out a chuckle to mock him.

“Oh hahaha, Pine Tree. Don’t worry, I’m still the same, but improved in terms of morality.”

“Still,” Dipper sighed. “I’m really sorry. Can I do anything to somehow make it up to you?”

The blond looked at him incredulously.

_Seriously, Pine Tree? Isn’t taking care of my wounds, housing and feeding and clothing me and spending time with me not enough of an effort for yourself? If anything, I should be the one taking charge to give you what you want to be able to pay my debts!_

“Uh, Bill? I’m sorry, I really am! Just tell me what I can do to apologize,” the brunet said desperately. “You don’t have to give me that look, you know.”

The demon’s eyes widened. “What look?”

“Disgusted,” he murmured, going back to staring down on his thumbs.

“Oh! No, no! Pine Tree, I- No!” he stuttered. He cupped the lad’s cheeks and turned his head to make him look at him in the eye.

“I, uh, okay, look. Just make us some tea and I’ll be fine, alright? Okay?”

Dipper pouted.

_Hell, damn it, Pine Tree!_

“Okay?” he assured, smiling and nodding. “Tea. Tea is okay. Tea is good.”

The brunet couldn't help giggling and nodded. “Okay.”

Bill let out a sigh of relief and released him, the smile on his face wider.

“Okay.”

* * *

 

“I’m glad we can enjoy this moment. Just the two of us, you know?”

The actress from the movie exclaimed happily. Nothing could be heard at the Pine’s household right now, except for the commentary of the film actors on television, and the light snores coming from both the exhausted men on the couch. Abandoned on the coffee table were half-emptied cups of green tea, about to go cold.

As another crazy event passes, the blond is nonetheless content that he could finally be comfortable with the one human he found peculiar himself. Before dozing off, he recalled how he was the only one in the entire multiverse to stop his hunger for destruction, and make him feel a temporary mental state that passes quickly when you’re a demon, but an entire eternity when you’re a meat sack on earth.

It made him feel content. But he found the word ‘home’ more appropriate.

_The things you do to me, Pine Tree._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY ;;
> 
> yet again i find myself being incredibly inconsistent on the updates ;; we should be at the 16th chapter by the end of this week, but my lack of responsibility pretty much put me behind schedule ;n; i'm so sorry
> 
> there is no need to worry though, i'm still as passionate for this ship as i was at the time i joined in, so i'm not going to allow myself to post anything that isn't fueled by that passion ^^ i know sometimes it can be sucky since it's ridiculously rushed, but i really am doing my best to give you guys that squishy/angsty feeling for these dorks uwu
> 
> also, thank you so much for still supporting me on this ;u; it's pretty unbelievable i get updates that i still get kudos on this work even if i'm not updating ;;
> 
> on that note, until we're back on track, there's gonna be unnanounced updates for this fic. it's summer time here, and i have LOADS of time in my hands, so i'll be working on this as much as i can~ don't worry, i'll be telling you guys when the regular updates come back :>
> 
> again, thank you so much for reading this! hopefully you've enjoyed the drama i've put in~ also, your comments are always very much appreciated! uwu 
> 
> until the next update~


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